The question of whether cosmetic (aesthetic) surgery is right or wrong has no definitive answer. However the motives and reasons for this obsession with beauty and where it originates from shall be further examined. Whether people realise it or not, humans are heavily influenced by the media. The media reinforces views on beauty via the power of suggestion, painting an image that people interpret as they choose to. Companies such as Calvin Klein, Guess, and Cover Girl all have one thing in common, and that is, that they all silently scream to viewers that the way to feel happy is to copy their billboard portrayal of beauty. This is some of the reason behind people straightening noses, getting enhancement of their lips, removing unwanted fat, and reshaping cheekbones.
Some individual’s can almost become addicted to cosmetic surgery. There is always something else they can have pinched or realigned, so they can achieve physical ‘perfection’. However for some to become ‘perfect’ physically, this is incredibly hard because there are numerous cultures in the world, but only a few dominate. Society makes it difficult not to associate a typically beautiful outer appearance with happiness and
success. A person who looks around his or her community discovers that the affluent, intelligent and happy people all belong to a specific group, and begin to make connections.
People actively observe the society around them. People create society and are created by society. Eventually, people use external characteristics to define people, these include the number of cars someone has, to whether or not someone may depend on welfare, or whether someone attended university. For the vast majority, this probably carries little or no consequence. Generalizing becomes a problem, however, when someone is part of a group not connected with prosperity. These individuals may be easily categorised by others on the basis of appearance alone. Partly because of the media, some people may actively seek to acquire the look that will place them in a desired group.
Surgery is becoming almost as common, and as socially acceptable as visiting the dentist, and the range of treatments available has expanded beyond the bottom lift or tummy tuck. Over the last decade, demand for the most common cosmetic surgery procedures, like breast enlargements and nose jobs, has increased by more than 400 per cent. According to the ‘London Diary, Britain: Cosmetic Surgery of Europe’ by Gerd Treuhaft, “Britain has topped the first ever European league table for people paying for plastic surgery. Doctors here carried out 24,335 operations in 2000, more than double the number performed in Germany. In Europe only France came close with 21,221 operations and Span 10,803. Only Americans and Brazilians are keener to go under the knife for the sake of appearance. The British spend an estimated £ 180 million each year on facelifts, breast enlargements and nose jobs. Woman make up 87 per cent of patients overall. But in Turkey, Sweden and Japan the male proportion tops 20 per cent. The most popular treatment in the UK is Botox a substance injected just under the skin to erase lines. Collagen injections, which smooth out wrinkles and pump up lips, were second.”
The media however is not all one sided, although they try and portray cosmetic surgery as glamorous both through magazines, journals, and television. For example “Face Lift Diaries” on ITV at 8.30pm on Friday’s, tries to represent cosmetic surgery as nothing major, and something that should be turned to without much thought and consideration. They also only show the pros of having this surgery, never the bad side effects. However having mentioned the role the media play in trying to portray cosmetic surgery as attractive and glamorous. They do also shed light to the possible downfalls of cosmetic surgery. They do this in a number of ways, one being that in some magazines they show pictures of famous people who have had surgery, and as a consequence they either look worse or it has gone wrong, an example of which is Lesley Ash being featured in the ‘Heat Magazine’ February Edition. They were discussing how much worse she looked after the surgery, and how if she were to try and revert it she would look even worse. The media revealing such information must help people when deciding if they want treatment.
They also expose possible dangers in getting cosmetic surgery. For example, the media coverage of the 1992 dispute over regulation of silicone breast implants, devices suspected of causing autoimmune disorders and neurological diseases, became in itself a part of this bitter controversy. Many physicians were angry at the coverage, accusing journalists of projecting their personal opinion, of irresponsible sensationalism, of jumping to conclusions without listening to experts. They blamed the media for creating unnecessary fear. This shows that the media can also work towards society beneficially, in highlighting issues of concern, and making individuals more aware to the dangers of such treatment.
Michael Jackson is a much talked about famous individual, particularly when regarding his cosmetic surgery. Although Michael Jackson admits to having two cosmetic surgery treatments, both on his nose, and only for health reasons. He denies that he has undergone extensive surgery for any other reason. There have been many articles showing pictures of how he has changed over the years, he looks like a completely different person. In a television document recently, two cosmetic surgeons were asked how many cosmetic
surgery treatments it would take for the extreme changes in Michael Jackson’s appearance. They estimated that it would be some where in the region of thirty-fifty. That is taking cosmetic surgery to the ultimate levels. Firstly his hair became less ethnic and more European looking, and he then slowly began to alter other features. His broad, unmistakably Negroid nose became narrow, his rounded chin became square and more defined, and with each new album release, from ‘Thriller’ to ‘Bad’, his dark skin seemed to become progressively paler. In what appeared to be a testament to his media savvy, Michael Jackson emerged from his persona as the youngest, cutest member of Jackson 5 to the persona as an internationally recognisable black superstar with long, straight hair, delicate features, and light skin. See diagram below.
BEFORE AFTER
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It is perhaps no coincidence that the ‘Thriller’ CD and the video ‘Thriller’ directed by John Landis shows Michael Jackson's metamorphose in the eyes of the public from Michael Jackson's character into a werewolf and zombie. It appears that he went from Michael Jackson of The Jackson 5 to Michael Jackson, a paragon of sexual and racial ambiguity. More problematic with Michael Jackson's cosmetic surgery or self transformation is that it is a class and economic issue inseparable from race (skin whitener injection for the privileged, and skin bleaching cream for the lower class).
Although the media was perhaps not the only reason that Michael Jackson had all of his cosmetic surgery, it was definitely an attributing factor. In a television documentary ‘The Life Of Michael Jackson’ which was on ITV on Monday February 3rd 2003, it highlighted the fact that not only was his father a main reason behind him getting his cosmetic surgery, by giving him constant abuse about his appearance. But the media also had a role to play, Jackson confirmed that the external pressures around him did affect him, although he wouldn’t admit to getting cosmetic treatment for any other reasons than health, he looked particularly flustered when the topic of him and plastic surgery was brought up. The irony within all of this is that partly due to the media Michael Jackson got the cosmetic surgery, and now due to him getting it, he is constantly bombarded by the media and made fun of. The harsh reality is that the media has an incredibly influential effect on our society. The question that should perhaps be considered is that even if people are persuaded by the media to get cosmetic (aesthetic) surgery, is there any harm in it if it does not directly affect any one around them, and increases their sense of self-worth and self-esteem.
References
Christopher Ham (1994) Health Policy in Britain, Macmillan.
John G. Cullis and Peter A.West (1979), The Economics of Health, Martin Robertson & Company Ltd.
Rob Baggot (1998), Health and Health Care in Britain, Macmillan Press Ltd.
Internet:
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