Many call the uprise of teenage plastic surgery a “trend”. However, an article titled Bodies Under Construction suggests that there are deeper issues. I think Dr. Antell brings up a good point when he mentions the media; “The media has also done a good job of making people aware of the procedures available. Another reason is acceptability. In a way, plastic surgery has come out of the closet.” Although Dr. Antell brings up an important issue, he does not address it with 100% honesty. The media has made people aware of the procedures available, but more importantly, I think it has provoked people to feel that they need improvement. The media is filled with tall, skinny, seemingly flawless people who are supposed to represent society. The problem is, the majority of people do not look that way and it is not realistic; therefore, people seek this unattainable dream through plastic surgery. The media does not so much inform readers as it does brainwash them.
The media (magazines, movies, television), whether we are conscious of it or not, influences the way we think. The recent increase of plastic surgeries proves that the images that are being flashed before our eyes are having psychological impacts. In the article, an 18-year-old girl describes a game that she plays with her friends where they say what procedures they would undergo if money weren’t an object. This game may seem harmless, but we all know this is a common case and I think that says a lot about our society.
You can view this article at http://www.fazeteen.com/fall2003/cosmeticsurgery.htm
