Plastic Surgery can either be re-constructive, or cosmetic. Examples of re-constructive surgery are surgeries that are done to improve any deformity in any part of the human body brought about by accidents, or congenital deformities, which may or may not interfere with basic functions of the body.
Examples of cosmetic surgery are surgeries done on the different parts of a person’s body, which he/she thinks needs improvement, such as on the face (lifts), nose (lift, repair of nasal flare), breasts (lifts, reduction, augmentation), abdomen (tummy tuck), liposuctions (suctioning and removal of fat in the different parts of the body), etc. The basic purpose of these surgeries is to improve the appearance of certain parts of a patient’s body, which in his/her eyes, needs improvement.
As cosmetic surgeries are mostly optional in nature, let us talk about this part of Plastic Surgery, and why people choose to go through it.
Many people believe that Plastic Surgery can change not only their looks but their lives as well. Is this because of the wide acceptance of vanity and plastic surgery in modern society today or is it really a need for many? On the other hand, many people condemn it, and even judge its takers by calling them silly, sick, and ungrateful creatures of God, for wanting to change what He has originally designed.
Plastic Surgery has come a long way, born out of man’s need to improve his physical appearance, to look more beautiful in his own eyes, or to conform to the standards of beauty in his own society, no matter what it takes. Different cultures may have different standards or concepts of beauty. The ancient Chinese wore “iron shoes” to bind their feet and keep it small, as having small feet was a standard of beauty and high social status then. During the Victorian Period, women wore dangerously tight corsets, as women with narrow waists then were perceived to be more attractive.
Although the concept of Plastic Surgery has gone a long way, starting as far back as during the ancient times, it has only been about several years ago that it has finally gained the popularity that it has now, especially among its takers in this modern world. Yet, it remains as one among the many interesting and controversial issues discussed in debates, informal forums, talk shows, or small social or family gatherings. And, like the issue that has kept the Christians and the Atheists constantly apart in endless discussions, this issue remains unresolved simply because people are different. Their perceptions and thoughts move in parallel lines, never converging at any common point.
As in every controversial issue, two groups of people are in total disagreement – those who believe that they have a physical “defect” that plastic surgery can improve or erase – and those who believe that God has endowed us with bodies that no one has any right to replace or change, regardless of how some people may see them as ugly or needing improvement, and that one’s physical appearance should not be given more weight than one’s abilities, which more than adequately, make-up for all deficiencies present.
Personally, I believe that you are your greatest judge, on whether or not you can change anything in your body. As mortal beings who are unable to communicate directly with God like they used to do in the Old Testament days to ask Him for His opinion, we can only weigh things out for ourselves, and choose that which we believe to be morally right and acceptable to the society we belong to, to the values we uphold, or to one’s religious beliefs.
Volumes of books and articles have been written about the merits, positive-outcome testimonials, as well as the dangers, risks, and the horror stories of patients who had terribly unpleasant experiences with Plastic Surgery. Some of them have happy endings but many of them also end up as sad stories of utter disappointment and regret.
People who are much against Plastic Surgery will ignore the endless list of seemingly valid reasons there may be for it, and will always insist to dwell on the moral issue that we are what God made us to be and that our freedom to do what we want does not give us a reason to brush moral and ethical issues aside. For them we have to be more accepting of our defects and build on our abilities, instead of setting unrealistic goals through Plastic surgery, because it is all fake and that there is no guarantee that Plastic Surgery is the ultimate solution to all of one’s problems. To these people, one’s heart is more important than one’s physical appearance. They will argue too that acceptance is not only achieved by changing one’s physical appearance.
On the other hand, people who believe that Plastic Surgery can change their looks and their lives as well, will rebut all those declarations by saying that not all people are fortunate enough to be born with everything it takes to be happy in life, including good looks. They will say that these fortunate ones will never know what it is to “lack” something, confidence included – and as such, it is unfair for them to cast judgments on the “less fortunate” ones who believe that is perfectly alright to make improvements as an option for them, as long as it will take them to where they want to go and make them what they want to be while here, traveling on this earth’s journey.
For discussion purposes, it is worthwhile mentioning that according to data gathered from people who actually had plastic surgery, there are 2 main reasons they do it:
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