Minnesota State University Moorhead
Personal Looking Glass:A Study into Elective Cosmetic SurgeryMichelle CarlsonSociology 352: Qualitative Research MethodsProfessor Lee VigilantDecember 18, 2009Introduction:Society is obsessed with beauty. This isn’t a novel concept…this isn’t a recently discovered fad. This is a fact of life. If one peruses the magazine aisles at the local grocery store, the covers are undulated with tips on how to be more beautiful…how to have a sexier body…how to have flawless skin. Society’s obsession with beauty is why the cosmetic industry grosses billion of dollars a year…why cosmetic companies and skin-care companies spend billions of dollars a year to advertise their latest and greatest product. Products, however, aren’t enough anymore. It’s not enough for someone to spend $25.00 on one ounce of the latest anti-aging, anti-oxidant skin moisturizer; no, it’s now time to spend thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery. Enlarging and/or lifting ones breasts, removing the dimples from the thighs, letting out the excess air of the tire around the middle, filling in crow’s feet around the eyes and laugh lines around the mouth are the latest beauty trends. Let’s face it…it’s not our mother’s world anymore, where the old adage of, “True beauty is what lies inside,” are great words of wisdom. Great words of wisdom, now days, are, “Nip and Tuck”, “A dash of silicone”, and, “Just a simple, quick procedure.” Elective cosmetic surgery is becoming the fastest growing, highest grossing industry out there, but one has to ask: Why would someone voluntarily go under the knife, voluntarily be poked and prodded to become more beautiful? Is it solely a vanity issue, the obsession with looking young? Or, are the reasons more complex than that? What I’ve found with this study is that there is no correct answer, no one certain reason. What I did find, however, is that the reasons some undergo elective cosmetic surgery are deeply personal and an internal battle within oneself to not necessarily be accepted by others, but to be accept by themselves.Reflexivity Statement:I’ve never really cared much for plastic surgery, personally, though I’ve never begrudged anyone who has made the decision to have it done. What I didn’t realize, however, was how many people within my intimate circle of friends have made the decision to undergo these surgical procedures. I’ve always considered plastic surgery to be a personal choice, albeit a slightly selfish one. What I’ve come to realize throughout this research project is, reasons are subjective. What I think may be true, isn’t, and what I may perceive as vanity may be low self-esteem. I must admit, I’ve come to see patients of these medical procedures in a different light, and have concluded that cosmetic surgery has definitely become a sociological issue.Literature ReviewElective Cosmetic Surgery Facts and Figures:According to the 2008 year-end report conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 12.1 million cosmetic procedures done; 1.7 million of these were cosmetic surgical procedures (requiring hospitalization), such as breast augmentations, liposuctions and tummy tucks, and 10.4 million were classified as cosmetic minimally invasive procedures (classified as an in-house office visit), such as microdermabrasions, cellulite treatments, and laser hair removals. Here are some other important facts from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons regarding gender: Ninety-one percent of all cosmetic surgery patients were female, with the top five surgical procedures being breast augmentation, liposuction, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and tummy tucks, and the top five minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures being Botox, hyaluronic acid, chemical peels, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion. The other nine percent of cosmetic surgery patients are, of course, male, with the top five surgical procedures being nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction, breast reduction in men, and hair transplantation, and the top five minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures being Botox, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser skin resurfacing. It should also be noted that nineteen percent of all cosmetic procedures done in the United States are of the age group of this study’s participants, ages thirty to thirty-nine. What it comes down to, however, is that the year-end cost of money spent on elective cosmetic procedures in the United States in the year 2008 was $10.3 billion dollars. That is truly an amazing monetary figure.The Feminist Theory:There are some arguments, especially from the feminist theorist point of view, that look at cosmetic surgery as the ultimate form of coercion, “[Cosmetic surgery] overtly and covertly, pushes women to conform to feminine ideals of youth and beauty” (Brooks 2009: 209). Let’s look at that for a moment. Any female knows that, from a young age, how we look, our outer appearance, is constantly being judged. Physical appearance is a female’s main identity, especially throughout their adolescence. Isn’t it conceivable, then, to believe that that particular thought process will stay with a woman throughout their entire adult life? Added to that, females are constantly swamped with images from magazines, books, movies, and television regarding how to be beautiful…or, more specifically, young and beautiful. Another concern is, “Those women who undergo cosmetic surgery for purely aesthetic reasons are regarded as victims of a patriarchal ideology in which the self-esteem of women is primarily dependent on their physical appearance” (Negrin 2002: 21). So, basically, critics are saying that it’s the men who are determining the requirements for what is considered beautiful, and women are striving to meet them. There are others, however, who argue that making the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery is a form of female “empowerment” and “self-assertion,” by allowing women to “[take] control of their own destiny” (Negrin 2002: 22-23). This is a thought process that was also discovered by a study done by Kathy Davis. Davis (1997: 31) found that, “cosmetic surgery was as way for [women] to take control over circumstances over which they previously had had no control”. Let’s be honest: When we’re born, we’re given certain genes by our parents. Not only do those genes give us our hair color and eye color, but these genes may also give us absolutely no control over physical appearance. There are also some studies that say that people may not even have control over the amount of body fat we have. In other words, there may be some people who were destined to be overweight and homely-looking. A cruel way to put it? Absolutely, but this is where that control comes into play. Elective cosmetic procedures give women, especially women who are not satisfied with what they are born with, the choice to change it. From a Man’s Point of View:One doesn’t have to do research into this topic to know that males are a small percentage of the population undergoing elective cosmetic surgery. That number, however, seems to be growing. The question that must be asked, though, is: why do men decide to have cosmetic surgery? Like females, is it about empowerment and control? Or are there different reasons? According to Judith Franco (2006: 478), “The motivation for these men to seek out surgery is presented as functional (’mending their broken down body and spirit…’) rather than the emotional and aesthetic reasons associated with female participants”. This could lead to the conclusion that, for men, cosmetic surgery is more about vanity. Going a step further, cosmetic surgery may now the dilettante’s way of staying young. There are those, however, that believe it may be more problematic than that.Michael Atkinson (2008: 71) wrote, “The splintering and redistribution of masculine control across institutional landscapes has spurred on a ‘crisis of masculinity’, in that men are no longer certain about what constitutes men’s roles and statuses, or how to enact properly gendered masculine identities”. This is a very valid point. There are many theorist that believe, with the rise of feminism, and therefore the power of feminism, men have gotten lost in the shuffle. It used to be much simpler: Men brought home the bacon, the women cared for the family and children. Men and women had very distinct roles. Those roles, however, have changed, and the lines have become more blurred. It’s possible that men have decided that, in order to be accepted by women they may have to conform to certain feminine ideals, i.e. cosmetic surgery. This point is also stressed by Atkinson (2008: 72), “Men’s growing interest in cosmetic surgery might empirically hint toward the emergence of a late modern ‘male femininity’; a gender status that at once draws on and seeks to reaffirm traditional images of men and the power bases men hold, but also tactically poaches and re-signifies stereotypically feminine symbols and practices in order for their male deployers to appear as progressive, neo-liberal and socially sensitive”.Going along with the above theory, Atkinson 2008: 76-77) points out that by having cosmetic surgery, men are showing that they don’t have to be masculine-aggressive in order to stay in shape or to stay physically pleasing, unlike what sports and working out in a gym may do. “…men feel encouraged to reflexively engage in forms of bodywork to shore up their traditionally masculine images in socially ‘non-threatening’ ways”. Pumping iron, boxing, games of football or basketball with the guys… All of these activities conjure up images of aggressiveness, the embodiment of raw, male, physical power. That’s not the way men should be anymore. They shouldn’t be strutting around, blatantly displaying their masculinity. Cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, can sculpt one’s body into perfection without the outward display of masculinity. In other words, a body shaped by cosmetic surgery is the non-threatening way to stay in shape. What is interesting, and should be pointed out is, that for men, cosmetic surgery is a double-edged sword. It’s perfectly normal for a man to feel dissatisfied with their physical appearance, yet admitting to cosmetic surgery may not be the “male” thing to do. As Atkinson (2008: 77) states, “It is both an admission of weakness (i.e. the failure to physically live up to masculine cultural expectations) and a moral gesture of the desire for self-improvement”. So, while there is no shame for a woman to admit that she’s been nipped and tucked, for a man, it’s a different story. This is just another example of how it’s possible that the idea of masculinity is fading for men, resulting in this population to undergo a secret shame, if you will.A Sexual State:While there is no doubt about the media’s influence on physical appearance, it’s also influential in regards to sexuality. We live in a sex-oriented society; therefore, x, y, z is what we need to do in order to feel and be sexy…and having a perfect body is one way to do that. Specifically, research done by Virginia Braun (2005: 413) shows that, “improved sexual function was identified as a key outcome of ‘cosmetic’ procedures”. This shouldn’t be too surprising. Sexual intercourse is the most intimate thing done between two people, and feeling awkward during sex is bad enough without having to worry about extra weight around the middle, dimply thighs, or saggy breasts. It should be mentioned, however, that Braun points out that a better sex life wasn’t just about changing physical appearance, “Although physical changes were often identified as resulting in increased pleasure, psychological elements were also highlighted as key in explanations for increased sexual pleasure, post-surgery” (415). Ergo, feeling good about yourself, physically, regardless of where it may be, will improve one’s psychological state, equaling better relationships, especially in the bedroom.A woman’s sexuality is definitely one area that seems to be centered around societal expectations. “Women’s reports of genital anxiety reflect a range of negative sociocultural representations of women’s genitalia, and it seems some women ‘live these [negative] cultural meanings in their embodiment” (Braun 2005: 411). Interestingly enough, it’s considered taboo to talk about a woman’s sexuality, yet society’s expectations regarding female sexuality is almost expected. Hence, a woman is expected to be sexual, just not be able to talk about it. Or, as Braun (2005: 418) states, “Women’s sexual pleasure – or ability to orgasm, appears as a central concern for women, and indeed for society. The account is almost exclusively one where, sexually, women should be comfortable in their bodies and should be able to enjoy sex – and the more sex, and sexual pleasure, the better”. Beyond Fixing a Flaw:There can come a time when the idea of simply changing ones appearance goes beyond “wanting” and travels into the obsessive. According to Cressida J. Hayes (2009: 75), it isn’t abnormal for a woman to have “a painful preoccupation with one’s own defective appearance”. It is however, abnormal for this “preoccupation” to suddenly take over one’s life. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder recognized by the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization (2009), and is defined as “a preoccupation with a defect in appearance that causes significant distress and/or impairs normal work or social functioning. BDD sufferers typically persist in the belief that their defect is real [and] if they seek help it will often be surgical, rather than psychiatric” (Hayes 2009: 75). The interesting argument that Hayes presents is that it’s entirely possible that BDD may be a learned disorder. In other words, can society’s own form of obsessive beauty cause BDD, or is it possible that a patient may enter a doctor’s office wanting one procedure done and come out wanting more? Obviously, the whole point of cosmetic plastic surgery is fixing a flaw; however, “visual economy of advertising and marketing cosmetic surgery is also pedagogical teaching ways of reacting negatively to one’s own embodiment. This is done indirectly, through the still image, and especially the popular ‘before and after’ photo set” (Hayes 2009: 79). Women, especially, will be very familiar with these ‘before and after’ photos. Watch any talk show, from Oprah to The Tyra Banks Show, or any television show whose subject is makeovers; flip through any fashion magazine, since they always have at least one article on makeovers, and they consistently include the ‘before and after’ shot of the subject. It’s almost as if they are daring, or giving a permission slip to the makeover participants, and the viewers, to look for even more flaws to improve. After all, the results are miraculous, astounding! What could be wrong with fixing just one more flaw? Then, of course, there are the plastic surgeons. During a cosmetic surgery consultation, and this is just common sense, the doctor will look and examine the area in which the patient is requesting improvement, but it’s entirely possible that the doctor may go beyond that. “…surgeons go further, and point out flaws the [surgery] candidates was herself not even aware of. It takes a tough-minded individual to walk out of a consultation having refused a procedure that an ‘expert’ on bodily aesthetics thinks is warranted, without any further psychological consequences” (Hayes 2009: 80-81). It could be argued that most patients are probably not that strong-minded, considering they’re visiting the doctor to fix what they see is flawed, so it is not inconceivable to convince the patient of other flaws. Unfortunately, while this practice may be morally repugnant, there is nothing wrong with suggesting other improvements. It’s no wonder that Hayes argues that the cosmetic surgery industry only heightens levels of BDD or may create them.Sample, Methods, and Ethical Concerns:The data in this study comes from in-depth interviews that I conducted with seven people; three men and four women. All of the interviewees are in their late thirties, and all but one is of Caucasian descent. The one that isn’t, is a female of Asian ethnicity. All of the interviewees are also college graduates, with three of them having post-undergraduate educations, and fit the classification of being in the middle-upper to upper socioeconomic income level. The interviews were conducted in the late fall of 2009, with each interview lasting about an hour-and-a-half to two hours. The interviews were conducted mostly at eating establishments; however, two of them were conducted at the participants’ homes. Now, the interview participants were asked questions from a pre-set interview schedule that contained questions regarding their personal experiences with elective cosmetic surgery, some of which included how they came to the decision to have cosmetic surgery, how they felt before and after the surgery, and responses from family and friends regarding their decision. My initial list contained approximately twenty questions, although, because all participants had different experiences, I often times found myself asking many questions that were not on my list. I did, however, try to ask all of them. It should be noted that all of the participants are close, personal friends of mine. Three of them I have known since kindergarten; the other four, since seventh grade. Therefore, I’ve known all seven of them for over half my life. All of the study’s participants were given written consent forms to sign, agreeing to their participation in my study, as well as promising their anonymity. I also made it clear that, although the interview was being recorded and would later be transcribed, they could discontinue the interview at any time, for any reason. They were also informed that they were more than welcome to read my final paper when I was through writing it. Although there were few ethical concerns, I did consider that, because we were talking about elective medical procedures, I was careful to not delve too much into their personal medical history. Also, I was careful to not structure my initial, pre-set interview questions around personal, financial matters. Another important note is that one of the participants, judging by her responses to my questions, I felt may have an unhealthy obsession, for lack of a better word, regarding cosmetic procedures; however, I did not press or express my concerns. I merely continued on asking questions and recorded her answers.Results and DiscussionWhether it be surgical or minimally-invasive, all of these procedures are being done on one’s body, changing, sometimes drastically, body chemistry, body shape…basically getting a whole new you. Now, the immediate assumption is probably that Hollywood and the entertainment industry has something to do with this. Over the years, there have been plenty of successful make-over reality shows which change the boring into beautiful, the beastly into bodacious. This was why shows, such as Extreme Makeover and The Swan garnered so many big ratings: viewers loved to see a magical transformation and how those transformation can lead to the perfect life. What I found, however, is that elective cosmetic surgery isn’t about leading the perfect life. It’s a choice, a deeply personal choice someone makes, not in the heat of the moment, but because they truly want to change something they feel is flawed…and here’s the stunner: despite popular belief, Hollywood, the entertainment industry, had absolutely nothing to do with their decision.“Simply put: My decision to have plastic surgery was because I didn’t like the way I looked. Sure, most women probably would love to look like Angelina Jolie, but, the fact of the matter is, that’s unrealistic…and I know it. So…I decidedto change me for me. ‘Hollywood’ had absolutely nothing to do with it, and it’sridiculous for most people to think that’s the main reason why I underwent plastic surgery”-Lindsay, age 38, Caucasian female“My decision to undergo plastic surgery had nothing to do with Hollywood, orcelebrities, or any of the reality shows out there. I did it because I wanted to, and because I could. There was something I could change, so I did”-Kelly, age 38, Caucasian femaleBoth of these female participants were pretty insistent that their decision to undergo surgical procedures was their decision alone, influenced by nothing and no one but themselves. This isn’t an uncommon thought process. “[They] saw themselves as undergoing cosmetic surgery, not in order to conform with the patriarchal ideals of beauty but rather to re-fashion their bodies so that they were more in accord with how they saw themselves” (Negrin 2002: 23). I found this to be a common attitude amongst the all four of the female participants interviewed. All denied that the entertainment industry, or even what they’ve seen in magazines, had any influence on their decision. Two of the male participants, however, had different reasons. Their reasons seemed to center around the issue of vanity and possibly feeling pressured to take extreme action regarding their physical appearance. More so than the women, the male participants seemed to be more driven by the need to for them to look youthful in appearance.“Sometimes it’s hard for me to see all these young college kids coming to work.I made the decision to have cosmetic surgery after someone at work joked about mypartner in a [work] project looking like he could be my son instead of my subordinate.I was surprised how much that comment bothered me”-Jacob, age 37, Caucasian male“The fact of the matter is, exercise doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried everythingknown to man, and, even though I’ll never have a six-pack, why can’t I havesomething close? The only difference between me and these youngerguys, is that the younger guys had to work for it. I justsimply went under the knife”-Tom, age 38, Caucasian maleIn other words, as stated by Michael Atkinson (2008: 75), “The act of cosmetic surgery becomes a process of gaining power over others’ negative stares and comments”. It made me realize that men aren’t immune to the issue of physical appearance. As much as worrying about aging and beauty is associated with women, it is gender encompassing and includes men. One set of questions I thought was important is how the participants’ intimate circle of loved ones felt about their decision. In Llewellyn Negin’s (2002) study, he found that “in most cases the women’s decision to have cosmetic surgery met with strong opposition from their male partners” (23). This was supported by the some of the participants.“My husband was mortified when I told him I wanted to have plastic surgery. He flat out refused to pay for it so I ended up setting up a special bank account with money that I made”-Ann, age 37, Caucasian female“I actually had a boyfriend break up with me once he found out I had breastaugmentation. He flat out told me that he wanted to make love to a realwoman, not a plastic one”-Lindsay, age 38, Caucasian femaleFamily, however, proved to be even more hostile. A few participants shared how their parents, especially, couldn’t understand or seem to respect their decision. In fact, one revealed how their mother took it as a personal insult because they thought they were denigrating how she looked. In other words, the mother felt like her daughter thought the mother was ugly because the daughter decided to change how she looked. The mother hasn’t spoken to her since. Children are also a concern. One participant confided that her child has been teased about her decision to have plastic surgery. These children call her the “Plastic Doll” or the “Barbie Doll”. “When I decided to have plastic surgery, it never occurred to methat my children would be affected. I try to tell her that there’s nothing wrongwith what I did, but the comments hurt her…and I’m responsible for that”-Ann, age 37, Caucasian femaleDealing with hostile, or non-supportive, loved ones, was one of the most difficult aspects for some of the participants. They’ve had to deal with snide comments, lame jokes, incredulous looks, and flat-out disapproval. What seemed to be the most frustrating for some was that they had finally reached a place where they were comfortable with happy with their decision, only to be brought down by people that were supposed to support and love them unconditionally. The discord also proved to be difficult during the surgical recovery process. The people that the participants were counting on to help them during what sometimes proved to be a very painful and long recovery weren’t there because they refused. One participant even ended up hiring a private nurse during her recovery from her facelift because of the distaste from her friends and family, and they refused to help her. I did have to wonder what originally started their journey into the world of cosmetic surgery. There were a variety of specific reasons. Two female participants decided to have tummy tucks after having children. As a mother, I’m all too aware of how hard it is to rid oneself of that extra baby weight. One of the female participants had always been on the slender side, and stated that she found it extremely difficult to see herself as fat. While she was pregnant, it wasn’t difficult because there was a specific reason for gaining the weight. Once her child was born, she just couldn’t get back to her pre-pregnancy body, especially her breasts.“After my baby was born, I couldn’t stand to look at myself. The stretch marks,the flab… I was disgusted with myself. And my breasts were now all saggyand droopy. I had cosmetic surgery and can now look at myself,naked in the mirror again and be happy”-Ann, age 37, Caucasian femaleOne area of cosmetic surgery that simply fascinated me because, up until this point, I hadn’t really heard of it, was the ability to create a “Designer Vagina”. In all honesty, I thought the participant was kidding when she brought it up, but she was quite serious. I had read articles concerning hymen reconstruction, especially amongst middle-eastern women to re-create their virginity, but a “Designer Vagina” was a new one. Basically, the surgical procedure done, in medical terms, is referred to as female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS), and the procedures that this participant had were labia majora augmentation, which is the insertion of fat into her labia, and vaginal tightening, the surgical tightening of her vaginal muscles (Braun 408). According to the participant, these two procedures create more sensation during sexual intercourse, resulting in better orgasms. Admittedly, I could see where a woman who has had children might consider these types of procedures, simply because vaginal childbirth stretches and loosens the vaginal muscles, but this was not the case here. This participant has no children. “The reason I decided to have FGCS was because I wanted to have a normalsex life. I’d never had an orgasm while with a man. I felt…abnormal, like something was wrong with me. I could feel sexual desire, I enjoyed sex,but I couldn’t have an orgasm. I just felt defective”-Kelly, age 38, Caucasian femaleUnfortunately, Kelly isn’t alone in her feelings. According to research done by Virginia Braun (2005: 414-415), “The conception of ‘sexual pleasure’ for women was typically synonymous with orgasm-or multiple orgasms. ‘Better’ sex typically meant orgasmic sex (or, sometimes, simply more sex), and more (and better) sex was inherently framed as good”. The other day, I was standing at the grocery check-out line, and on the cover of every female-directed fashion magazine there was a sub-headline of how to have better sex, or better bedroom play, or something similar to that. With those suggestions compounding our brains, why wouldn’t we think that the key to a happy relationship is the ability to have orgasms, and as many as possible. Some of the other reasons why some participants decided on cosmetic surgery were simply to fix what they considered to be a flaw… smoothing out a crooked nose, filling in lines and wrinkles, especially around the lips and eyes and forehead, and opening up droopy eyelids. For one participant, the eyelid surgery was particular fascinating because she’s Asian with very small to non-existent lids and extremely small eyes, as is a common trait amongst Asians. “For my entire life, I’ve had to look like my eyes are half-shut, especially when it comesto pictures. When I laugh, my eyes look half-shut, when I smile…same thing.I was tired of it. I wanted to look more awake, not have these half-slits”-Lauren, age 37, Asian femaleLauren’s decision to have eyelid surgery was, however, met with little resistance. This could be because she was adopted and was raised in a Caucasian family. As an Asian-American, I could identify and sympathize with what she was feeling; I’ve often felt, especially when I was younger, that my eyes were just too small, but I was surprised by her comment that she felt that there was nothing wrong with my eyes. In fact, she pointed out, quite succinctly that my eyes were what she had in mind when she was going through the consultation process. I have been told, repeatedly, by the few Asian women that I know, that my eyes are not typically Asian. I have a more prominent lid, creating “bigger eyes”, for lack of a better term. I also have eyelashes that curl up, instead of lashes that point more downward, as is also typical in Asians. I must admit that I was really taken aback by her comment. She denied, however, the decision to make her eyes bigger had anything to do with wanting to look more “white”. She was quite insistent that it was simply to change something that she didn’t like. It should be mentioned, though, that, at the time of this interview, she was in the process of consulting her surgeon for a new nose…a way to have more of a bridge inserted so her nose didn’t look so “Asian-flat”. I believe her comment was that her nose job was going to be her Christmas present to herself. I was also curious about society’s stigmas regarding plastic surgery. Society tends to look down on those who have decided to reshape their bodies. I wondered if that was an issue for any of the participants. It was for the third male participant. While he hasn’t had cosmetic surgery, he has had minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures done. He’d had Botox injections to deal with debilitating migraines that he has suffered from since he was in high-school. Interestingly enough, he doesn’t really tell anyone, because of the stigma that goes along the word, “Botox”.“I’ve actually had Botox injections for about twelve years as a way to deal with my migraines, but I’ll be damned if I tell people. I don’t want to deal with the ‘Joan River’ jokes and the stupid comments. I’ll just keep it to myself,thank you very much”-Ken, age 37, Caucasian maleThe other male participants felt somewhat the same. They felt that they needed to be more secretive about their decision, possibly due to the fear of stereotyping or ridicule. “It’s amazing how many people think I’m gay, after they find out I’ve hadplastic surgery. I guarantee you, I’m completely heterosexual!”-Jacob, age 37, Caucasian maleThe women, however, aren’t quite so concerned about it. This is possibly because it’s more accepted, and maybe more expected, that women have had it done. Most of the female participants believe that their cosmetic surgery was done so expertly, they feel that nobody can really tell by looking at them, but they do point out that they don’t go about announcing it to every person they meet. Family members know, intimate partners are in the know, and select friends know. One participant, though, is very open about her decision to have plastic surgery and will tell anyone and everyone about it, if she can.“I love my plastic surgery! I love what it’s done to my body, my self-esteem,my sex life and I’m not ashamed to admit it! If they don’t like it…too bad”-Kelly, age 38, Caucasian femaleEventually, several interviews were led to the discussion of how much is too much. One particular participant felt that she would probably be having cosmetic surgery done for the rest of her life. As she described it, the procedures that she has had done will only last for a few years until she’ll require “maintenance”. So far, this participant has had about six cosmetic procedures (and these do not include the minimally-invasive procedures), and she doesn’t see anything wrong with what she is doing. “Having cosmetic surgery is my choice, and if I’m willing to live withthe risks, I guess I don’t see anything wrong with what I’m doing.Some people may see it as obsessive… I simply see it as making mefeel better about myself”-Kelly, age 38, Caucasian femaleShe did reveal, however, that her love of cosmetic surgery has come at a cost, and she didn’t mean a financial one. Kelly was married, but her husband left her after he discovered she took out a second mortgage on their home without telling him in order to pay for a second liposuction procedure. She doesn’t regret it, though; Kelly feels that her ex-husband couldn’t accept that she wanted to be more beautiful and now feels that she’s better off without that kind of negativity in her life. Kelly also revealed that she’s having “issues” with her plastic surgeon in regards to her wanting to undergo more procedures. Though she didn’t elaborate too much, she did reveal that she’s looking into cosmetic surgeons whose criteria weren’t so “stifling and stringent”, possibly even going outside of the United States to find someone who will fit her needs. The other participants are more pragmatic when it comes to the financial aspect of cosmetic surgeries. All revealed that their procedures are out of pocket expenditures, because, according to insurance guidelines, elective cosmetic surgery is a choice, not a medical necessity. Ken is the only exception. He started his Botox treatments for his migraines as part of a clinic study, and, since then, his insurance has picked up the tab. I did think it was interesting that none of the participants ever really seemed concerned about cost; this could be because they are all rather financial sound with well-paying jobs. One female participant did state, however that she has probably spent more on minimally-invasive treatments than she ever would on a single surgical procedures.“I don’t even want to think about how much I’ve spent on microdermabrasion,chemical peels, and facials! But I just figure that going that routeis better than getting a facelift…and my husband is okay with it, too”-Ann, age 37, Caucasian femaleAll in all, none of the participants seem to regret their decision. They seem happy with the choices they’ve made and the results of the surgical procedures they’ve had done. One of the last questions I asked all of the participants was if they would recommend cosmetic surgery to others. I must admit that I all thought their answers would be in the affirmative, but, interestingly enough, they were pretty vague. In fact, none of them, except for one, really gave me a definitive answer. Most of their answers were along the lines of encouraging people to really think about what they’re doing and to make sure it’s worth it. This was in regards to everything from having a support system to dealing with the surgical aftercare to making sure that it can be afforded, financially.“I’d never completely discourage someone to undergo plastic surgery, butI’d advise that they really think it through. They may be gettingmore than just a new nose. Plastic surgery is expensive, financially draining, and painful, which I certainly didn’t expect, but I felt it was worth it”-Lauren, age 37, Asian female“My only advice would be to really do your research, and give yourselfa good nine months to a year think about it before you actually doanything. After that, if you still feel the same, then go for it”-Tom age 38, Caucasian maleConclusion:The issue of elective cosmetic surgery isn’t as cut and dried as one may think. Whether someone has it done for their own expectations or society’s, it is a personal choice. Some of the answers given to me by the respondents surprised me, saddened me, and shocked me, but each individual case was different. It is so easy to lump people in a group and assume people’s reasoning’s are all the same. In other words, it’s easy to stereotype people who’ve elected to have cosmetic surgery as it is with any group that sways outside the norm. What was the most fascinating, however, is how each participant just wanted to feel good about themselves. They wanted to look in the mirror and have one less thing to worry about in their life. I think that it’s sometimes easy to forget just how easily we are affected by our outward appearance, especially when we may reach that age when we start noticing the fine lines, the difficulty in losing those few extra pounds gained during the holiday season, or that the new colleague is not only smarter than us, but looks better and is younger than us. Elective cosmetic surgery isn’t necessarily about staying young or recapturing our youth. It’s simply a matter of changing outward appearances in order to change, for the positive, one’s inward feelings. While the old adage of, “What matters is what’s in the inside” should be important, I can’t help but wonder how some can only make what’s inside matter when they look on the outside and can only see what’s wrong. Sometimes, fixing what’s wrong on the outside is the only way to make what’s on the inside count.Work CitedAmerican Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2009 Report of the 2008 Statistics National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Statistics. , Michael. Exploring Male Femininity in the ‘Crisis’: Men and Cosmetic Surgery.Body and Society 2008. 14(1): 67-87. . Retrieved: December6, 2009. Braun, Virginia. In Search of (Better) Sexual Pleasure: Female Genital ‘Cosmetic’ Surgery. Sexualities 2005. 8(4): 407-424. . Retrieved: December 6, 2009.Brooks, Abigail. “Under the Knife and Proud of it:” An Analysis of the Normalization ofCosmetic Surgery. Critical Sociology 2004. 30(2): 207-239. . Retrieved: December 6, 2009.Davis, Kathy. Cosmetic Surgery as Feminist Utopia? European Journal of Women’s Studies 1997. 4: 23-37. . Retrieved: December 6, 2009.Franco, Judith. Extreme Makeover: The Politics of Gender, Class, and Cultural Identity. Television New Media 2008. 9(6): 471-486. . Retrieved: December 9, 2006.Heyes, Cressida J. Diagnosing Culture: Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Cosmetic Surgery. Body and Society 2009. 15(4): 73-93. . Retrieved: December6, 2009. Negrin, Llewellyn. Cosmetic Surgery and the Eclipse of Identity. Body & Scoiety 2002. 8(4):21-42. . Retrieved: December 6, 2009. ................
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