Cosmetic Surgery in the Philippine Setting

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  1. Introduction

We are living in a modern generation where technology offers us various opportunities to improve ourselves. To be specific, cosmetic surgery allows us to alter our body features perhaps once deemed impossible. This newfound technology becomes a solution for many persons who wish to “improve” themselves to do so.

But who are willing to undergo these operations for the sake of beauty? What do the young Filipinos of today think about cosmetic surgery? In this paper, we try to answer these questions, and we will see that there are different factors involved in determining answers to such questions.

The paper is structured as follows: Section 2 contains a brief background on cosmetic surgery; then the objectives of this research paper are stated in Section 3. The details of the methodology are then described in Section 4; the results of which are discussed in Section 5.

  1. Background

        

        Cosmetic Surgery is a subspecialty of medicine and surgery that uniquely restricts itself to the enhancement of appearance through surgical and medical techniques. It is specifically concerned with maintaining normal appearance, restoring it, or enhancing it beyond the average level toward some aesthetic ideal. Cosmetic Surgery is a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive approach directed to all areas of the head, neck and body. It is different from plastic surgery, which is surgery to reconstruct or improve the appearance after injury or illness.

        Cosmetic surgery apparently came from plastic surgery. The latter started in the 700's B.C. The Indians were traced to be the first ones to conduct simple surgeries like rhinoplasty – the type of plastic surgery that is used to improve the function (reconstructive surgery) or appearance (cosmetic surgery) of a person's nose. Rhinoplasty is also commonly called a “nose job.”

        The real start of cosmetic surgery began in the 20th century. Obviously, technology is the shoulder of this. The main purpose of this surgery was to repair the faces of the victims of the World War I.

        The end of WWI and the high number of shattered faces that were rebuilt by new constructive surgical procedures was put in the press as a way to restore hope amongst soldiers. Surgeons began to realize the capabilities of the reconstructive procedures and began to realize the possibilities. The history of cosmetic surgery has changed a great deal from altering birth deformities to shifting ideas of beauty based on the times.

        Once described as a mainly Caucasian surgery reserved for just the rich and famous, the history of cosmetic surgery did not allow the average person to benefit from the procedures that could reshape society's elite. In the history of cosmetic surgery, there was also more of a stigma in speaking openly about any cosmetic work performed. There was also a more mainstreamed idea of beauty in the early history of cosmetic history, with people seeking procedures to a more conformed idea of beauty.

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        Today, cosmetic surgery has shifted from the early history of cosmetic surgery views. Over time, there have been many additional procedures developed, better techniques formed, a wider range of patients, and a higher acceptance and openness than the early history of cosmetic surgery. The idea of beauty has become more diversified, with a greater acceptance for unique and ethnic features and has become a more open forum to discuss than early history of cosmetic surgery.

        The shift in views from early history of cosmetic surgery to now has been attributed to many things. The focus on health and fitness ...

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