Until now, the technology of the cosmetic surgery has been improved extremely more than the before, and even we can say that cosmetic surgery can help change the appearance of any part of human bodies, the chart below shows the top ten popular cosmetic surgeries underwent by consumers in 1993 in United State of America.
Top ten cosmetic surgeries (total 1993)
Performed by 2,800 surgeons. Source: AAFPRS, 1993.
The costs of the cosmetic surgery are expensive than the normal operation, and are not covered by health insurance. For instance, USA Today described that liposuction, which involves sucking fat cells out from underneath our skin with a vacuum device, costs US$1000 to US$7500. Breast augmentation costs from US$1500 to US$3000. Facelift costs around US$2000 to US$10000. And to cut the fat around the areas of hips, thighs, belly and breasts costs US$3000 to US$6000. Nose jobs, includes insert a piece of bone in the nose or cut the fat of the nose costs from US$2000 to US$3000.
The main consumers of the cosmetic surgery are mostly women. They are ordinary people, mostly female, paying cash, and keep cosmetic surgeons busy. As expensive as it is, Contemporary Women's Issues Collection mentioned ‘only 30 percent of patients come from families earning under US$25,000, and another 35 percent earn between US$25,000 and US$50,000…Another group of cosmetic surgery consumers are the middle aged men, they believe surgery would solve their emotional problems and improve their sex and social lives or careers’.
From the information and statistic chart that are described earlier in this essay. It clearly shows that in the twentieth century, urbanization, industrialization made the locus of personal identity from the family to self-representation. Physical appearance becomes very important either in self-identity or society, such us workplace. And since the beauty was no longer difficult to achieve because the technology of cosmetic surgery now is so advanced that enables human beings to alter and transform from heads to toes, and also actually it is not very expensive, most people can afford small cosmetic surgery operations, such as eyelid tightening, nose job, by saving only one month salary.
It can seem as we are living in a culture, a society that increasely requires woman to purchase femineity through submission to cosmetic surgeons and their magic knives. The ideal body can be purchased, and the unaesthetic figure can be reshaped. A human body, an individual is just like merchandise, and outside beauty is more important than inside beauty. It is beyond doubt that most people at first impression often judge the facial and outside appearance, and of course people with nicer looking and beautiful figures are usually received more attentions and have more market values.
The images of the so-called ideal body and the standard beauty are spread widely through the fashion magazines, television, advertisements and media. A lady with blond hair, blue eyes and delicate figure, such as Kylie Monologue, is usually the typical image of a beauty in western countries. Most women want to look like as feminine as Kylie, and there was a report said that her exquisite buttock is the most wanted and the most demanded model in almost every cosmetic surgery.
This western trendy has gone to eastern countries and has well accepted by most eastern people. In well-developed eastern countries, such as Taiwan, Japan and Korea, the eastern traditional beauty no longer binds up people. Now, people in those countries believe a pretty lady should have the features of double folded eyes, delicate and shapely nose. The most popular cosmetic surgeries are eyelid suture and nose padding for both men and women.
The trend of undergoing a cosmetic surgery is extremely popular in Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Having a cosmetic surgery is just like to have a holiday in overseas. For example, most Taiwanese go to Korea to have cheaper surgeries by two weeks special cosmetic surgery tours held by local Taiwanese travel agency. The travel expenses include lodging costs, sightseeing, everyday meals and operation costs. The high seasons are usually on the summer and winter vocations, so that the patients can recover in time before holiday finishes.
In this competitive world, being ordinary is no longer enough, and we are all urged to be as perfect as possible in order to survive in this world. In Japan, a country with high density of population, there is a trend that when a young man or a young lady reaches his or her twenty years old birthday, they are encouraged and financial supported to have cosmetic surgeries by their own parents. It is sad, however, physical appearance indeed takes an important part in the Japanese society.
Although people may have more confidence, gain more respects from the others and have higher social status by after reshaping outside physical appearance. Some people get the serious mental problem, they undergo the operations again and again, and just not satisfy their appearance, it is called – ‘Extreme body image dissatisfaction that can be a symptom of body dimorphic disorder, a psychiatric condition defined as a preoccupation with a slight defect in appearance that leads to excessive concern and interruption in daily functioning.’ (Rose Weitz, 1998)
In conclusion, it may be said that cosmetic surgery is a method to approach extremely beauty, which helps enhance a person’s confidence, and social status. It is controversial to argue whether it is necessary to undergo a cosmetic surgery in this contemporary world; it is only sad that most people search their identities by consuming ‘cosmetic surgery’ just like purchasing everyday commodity, because there will be no differences between individuals. However, the reality is that now is the era of post modernity, the world is following this trend, and there is no exactly definition and answer, just let the world be what it should be.
References
Haiken, Elizabeth. (1997) ‘Venus envy: A History of cosmetic Surgery’, United State of America.
Sim, Stuart. (2001) ‘The Rutledge companion to Postmodernism’, New York.
Browser, Andrew. (02-01-1999) ‘Focusing on Body Image Dissatisfaction’, USA Today Magazine, Volume 127.
Author not available. (11-01-1995) ‘Women Three Times as Likely as Men to Have Cosmetic Surgery’, Contemporary Women's Issues Collection, Volume 8. Available from Electric Library Australia (Online).
Weitz, Rose. (1998) ‘The Politics of Women’s Bodies’, New York, Oxford University Express
