Cosmetic surgery: overview and clinical applications

Cosmetic Surgery

Anyone can see the pressure of the media on modern body image, and how that has caused many to turn to plastic surgery. This is an ongoing trend that has changed the nature of the relationship between the media, celebrities, and those who adore them. Such trends have also changed the nature of medicine. Medical personnel now have to also embody changing roles. In this new changing world, it is clear that the media must make changes in its portrayal of plastic surgery as the new "it" thing to do.

Modern society has seen a use of cosmetic surgery as emulation of their favorite stars, models, and other ideals of perfection portrayed in the media. According to research, "individual images of the desirable body can become harnessed to the perpetuation of pre-existing social inequalities," (Shilling 2003:7). Therefore, individual identities are now being created in relation to the images of favorite celebrities and fashion trends. The media portrays the sexual archetype for women to emulate and "In this respect, the way in which the body has become a project for some women would appear to be more reflective male designs and fantasies than an expression of individuality," (Shilling 2003:7).

The media is morphing the nature of fashion and acceptable images in movies and television in order to represent the ideal image. In today's world "the super-endowed, surgically altered woman has become a reference point of fashion," (Shilling 2003:7). It is clear that magazines, television, and movies influence how the every-day women want to look. From the very beginning of plastic surgery's popularity "Every illustrated magazine wanted to show photos of the most prominent patients," (Panfilov & Larkin 2005:182). It is clear that women everywhere are heavily influenced by the media in the construction of body image.

This influence then creates unrealistic expectations in their body image, which was created by the advertising industry which is then responsible for the substantial growth in the volume of cosmetic surgery. The media initially fell in love with plastic surgery and mass produced positive reports, "Initially, reports about this specialty were exaggeratingly enthusiastic; plastic surgeons were magicians," (Panfilov & Larkin 2005:182). The media portrayed it as the latest quick fix for any body issue problem. Based on this, the popularity of plastic surgery has sky rocketed, "Times have certainly changed from the days when cosmetic surgery was a dark secret," (Stenson 2004:1).

Unfortunately, this left many to do real harm to themselves in the quest for the perfect image. In many cases, looking to plastic surgery to solve problems with body issues can actually lead to what is known as Self-Injurious Behaviors, or SIB, (White Kress 2003:490). People have gone overboard with excessive surgeries which are never enough.

This has impacted the medical environment drastically. These changes are even as simple as methods of payment, "Changes in health-care practices are the main reason behind growing credit card use for medical payments," (Lunt 1996:60). Medical practices have also grown much closer to home; "Plastic surgery is generally used to heighten or enhance gender differences and can take place under casual circumstances such as 'Botox house parties' where doctors make house calls to administer injections to groups of friends," (Hauser 2007:31). The popularity of various procedures has created a greater demand with more intimacy.