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More often than not last week, I was assailed by words, images, and vocals pertaining to plastic surgery. Men getting 'Bro-tox'; Candy coating plastic surgery with virtuous terms like 'maintenance' and 'highlighting ''natural'' features', culminating with the plastic train wreak that is Rock of Love Bus where money should be placed on how many more episodes it will take before Bret Michaels is visually indistinguishable from the contests who make Amanda Lepore look frugal with the knife. Jezebel's weekend contributer, commented on a USC study that equates plastic surgery as the new placard of class status and how this effects women's perceptions of their own bodies. Personally, I would be more apt to let a doctor file my teeth into points or outfit me with robotic apendages as an alternative to getting surgically sculpted to a preconcieved ideal; atleast in that situation the modifications would be of some use. However, to give a temperature reading of my feelings on 'enhancement' i even find hair extentions and victoria's secret's vein of boob crushing pushup bras to be eye-roll worthy and somewhat desperate. Some people cite that they cannot go outside because they are so traumatized that they have small breasts or that their nose was so crooked it caused them to be the town leper. Is plastic surgery necessary in some cases for the patient's mental well being? Yes. Do I find it socially laudable that we are collectively homogenizing our bodies to a pop-culturally presumed ideal? uh not so much. And really, especially where contestants of Rock of Love are concerned, why are you going to pay so much money for a body and dress it in such cheap clothing? I could close up with just closing my eyes and smiling wishing that everyone would just be happy with what they have been given, but that is not only trite it would never work. Cultures have always placed value on a seemingly silently agreed upon standard of beauty whether it be fairness of complexion or darkness of hair or straightness of teeth or the spectral ends of voluptuousness and prepubecent body types. And it is understood that some 'looks' will be more or less socially popular than others, but I feel it to be irresponsible to permanently alter the only body you have just for, what often ends up, the acceptance of others instead of yourself.
Both NYT and W have pinned plastic surgery as their page turning fodder for the present. One, NYT, about the horrific decline in such luxxxuries as getting to have your face poked at every week and W covering the decline in patient's desire for carnal pleasures after getting their face poked at. I am, gleefully, more interested in the NYT article, but I'll get to that. W is pushing the thought path that today's patients don't have much time outside of their micromanaged eating plans and board meeting plans for freaking plans. Noting, that patients rank sex below work, diet, and excercise on a scale of importance and instead gauge internal hotness on how many people are leering at their deform-o body slinking down 5th ave. Firstly, what sane, non-serial killer man likes a woman who's face, and likely body, is taped and pinned together? Maybe ones that enjoy their sig.other as a vanity piece more than an agent of love. The bright spot, comes at the end of the piece where doctors note that some patients cannot wait to get back into the sack after surgery and end up causing themselves some serious harm. The patients are older men with much younger girlfriends. Maybe you don't find it funny, but the idea of a mummy wrapped old dude and a idiotic gold digger-who is likely enhanced herself- kind of tickles my funny bone. NYT, slightly more scholarly in their prose, brings in a little logic starting off with bringing a little reality to a highly fanciful lifestyle; "On television, reality shows like “Extreme Makeover” and “Dr. 90210” normalized vanity medicine, making cosmetic operations seem cuddly and carefree. Meanwhile, lenders rushed in to offer specialized lines of credit for cosmetic procedures."
Though, the article is not without some quotes that may as well be pointed jokes at the target viewer. Pls see; “Let’s face it, if you don’t look great, you are not going to your reunion and you are not going on Facebook,”. The individual then describes that she now takes gym classes instead of using a personal trainer, but anti-wrinkle injections are a MUST. Another woman, (no men were quoted on the cutting back on their botox and boob jobs) proudly states that she got a haircut that includes BANGS(revolutionary!) to conceal the botox evaporating from her furrowed brow leaving her with what likely looks like a quick sand pit under some highlighted fringe. Also, I would like to note that she mentions reunion and facebook as a hand in hand activity; If you are old enough to have a class reunion, have botox, you need a life, not facebook status.
The luxury beauty business, proceedures included, started out in this friviolty decline sitting pretty, reasoning that while a client may not be able to afford an 800K watch or 150K organza top, they will never forsake their face and will make room for little cosmetic luxuries to pad their safe room that sits below their penthouse suite. But, not so, every luxury avenue in the U.S is hurting; people are buying cheaper cosmetics, mixing and matching nail color, using at home acne remedies as opposed to laser treatments. The beauty bubble, along with the luxury bubble, have burst. Mainly, I am psyched for the day when covens of augmented powerhouses's faces appear to melt off with small Nelly band-aids holding their noses in place and breasts erect in last season's frock. Aren't you excited that these events are how a reality clip show will classify our current time period? It'll make for exciting tv atleast.
