Cosmetic Surgery: Is it worth the risk? Cosmetic surgery, as seen, portrayed, and glorified on shows such as Botched, The Swan, and Extreme Makeover, is the practice of enhancing as well as changing body and facial features through plastic surgery. The purpose behind cosmetic surgery is to help one achieve a desired look, or to change or alter one’s insecurities about their body. Some common and popular cosmetic surgeries are known to be breast reduction and enlargement, facelifts, hair replacements, liposuction, and rhinoplasty. Cosmetic surgery can date back to being known from 600 BC, when a Hindu surgeon reconstructed a nose using skin from the cheek. The skills required by surgeons in the category of plastic surgery had originally been known to be solutions for birth defects, facial deformities, animal bites, burn wounds, and disfiguring wounds.
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However, modern cosmetic surgery came into play as a result of the advancement of motion pictures and television as well as the American eugenics movement around World War II. The first modern cosmetic surgery was rhinoplasty; performed in 1923. That was followed by the first public face-lift in 1931 (Donohoe, Martin 2). Cosmetic surgery is known to be an expensive hobby that also, however, comes with many health risks such as strokes, heart attacks, blood clots in the lungs or legs, and in the worst case; death. While it can be successful in improving an individuals self esteem or confidence about a particular insecurity, cosmetic surgery sends out a wrong, misconceived message that it will solve life’s problems, not to mention it also has many dangerous and life-threatening risks as well as a negative impact on society’s, and a younger generation’s, perception on what beauty is and what one should look like. Cosmetic Surgery includes a range of different procedures; including breast enhancements, rhinoplasty, chin or cheek enhancements, liposuction, Botox injections, face lifts, brow lifts, eyelid lifts, and neck lifts. To fit with its projected image of glamour and enhancement, the price of cosmetic surgeries is rather expensive. Not covered by medical insurance, the cost of a cosmetic surgery includes the pricing of surgeon fees, material and operating room costs, anesthesia related costs, any included medications, and follow-up appointment fees (Bonomi, Trudi). In 2010, the average cost of liposuction varied from about $4,000 to $8,000. If liposuction is performed on several areas of the body besides the abdomen, it can cost up to $11,000. The average cost of breast implant surgery ranges from $4,000 to $10,000. The average cost for facelifts ranges from $6,000 to as much as $25,000. The average cost for Botox injections, costing less for being a nonsurgical procedure, ranges from $350 to $500 per injection. Despite the high costs, cosmetic surgery has become common among middle-income patients. In 2009, an estimated 86 percent of cosmetic surgery patients were working women with middle incomes. Additionally, around 60 percent of cosmetic surgery patients have reported to have household incomes from $30,000 to $90,000 (“Cosmetic Surgery”). Furthermore, cosmetic surgery has been rapidly increasing in popularity and procedures. As shown in the New York Times, the total number of cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures in 2008 was more than twelve million. The study shows a decrease in the amount of surgical procedures, but an increase in nonsurgical procedures. In 2013, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons published that they spent $12.6 billion on a total of 15.1 million cosmetic procedures in 2013 alone, which was an increase of 3 percent since 2012 (M. Lee). The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported in 2008 that the most frequently performed surgical procedure was breast augmentation, with a total of 355,671 procedures. This was followed by …show more content…
Cosmetic surgery has been linked to many deaths resulting from surgical complications and psychological controversies of patients. It also causes many health-related issues and not to the mention the emotional and psychological affects it has on the society as a whole. So, to the men and women who are interested and convinced that cosmetic surgery will change and improve their life for the better; are they sure? Are the affects of cosmetic surgery that important that the patient would risk their health, psychological wellness, and even life? The process of accepting ones own perceived flaws is a much easier, cheaper, and healthier way of dealing with life’s problems concerning physical
However, modern cosmetic surgery came into play as a result of the advancement of motion pictures and television as well as the American eugenics movement around World War II. The first modern cosmetic surgery was rhinoplasty; performed in 1923. That was followed by the first public face-lift in 1931 (Donohoe, Martin 2). Cosmetic surgery is known to be an expensive hobby that also, however, comes with many health risks such as strokes, heart attacks, blood clots in the lungs or legs, and in the worst case; death. While it can be successful in improving an individuals self esteem or confidence about a particular insecurity, cosmetic surgery sends out a wrong, misconceived message that it will solve life’s problems, not to mention it also has many dangerous and life-threatening risks as well as a negative impact on society’s, and a younger generation’s, perception on what beauty is and what one should look like. Cosmetic Surgery includes a range of different procedures; including breast enhancements, rhinoplasty, chin or cheek enhancements, liposuction, Botox injections, face lifts, brow lifts, eyelid lifts, and neck lifts. To fit with its projected image of glamour and enhancement, the price of cosmetic surgeries is rather expensive. Not covered by medical insurance, the cost of a cosmetic surgery includes the pricing of surgeon fees, material and operating room costs, anesthesia related costs, any included medications, and follow-up appointment fees (Bonomi, Trudi). In 2010, the average cost of liposuction varied from about $4,000 to $8,000. If liposuction is performed on several areas of the body besides the abdomen, it can cost up to $11,000. The average cost of breast implant surgery ranges from $4,000 to $10,000. The average cost for facelifts ranges from $6,000 to as much as $25,000. The average cost for Botox injections, costing less for being a nonsurgical procedure, ranges from $350 to $500 per injection. Despite the high costs, cosmetic surgery has become common among middle-income patients. In 2009, an estimated 86 percent of cosmetic surgery patients were working women with middle incomes. Additionally, around 60 percent of cosmetic surgery patients have reported to have household incomes from $30,000 to $90,000 (“Cosmetic Surgery”). Furthermore, cosmetic surgery has been rapidly increasing in popularity and procedures. As shown in the New York Times, the total number of cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures in 2008 was more than twelve million. The study shows a decrease in the amount of surgical procedures, but an increase in nonsurgical procedures. In 2013, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons published that they spent $12.6 billion on a total of 15.1 million cosmetic procedures in 2013 alone, which was an increase of 3 percent since 2012 (M. Lee). The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported in 2008 that the most frequently performed surgical procedure was breast augmentation, with a total of 355,671 procedures. This was followed by …show more content…
Cosmetic surgery has been linked to many deaths resulting from surgical complications and psychological controversies of patients. It also causes many health-related issues and not to the mention the emotional and psychological affects it has on the society as a whole. So, to the men and women who are interested and convinced that cosmetic surgery will change and improve their life for the better; are they sure? Are the affects of cosmetic surgery that important that the patient would risk their health, psychological wellness, and even life? The process of accepting ones own perceived flaws is a much easier, cheaper, and healthier way of dealing with life’s problems concerning physical