The Real Cost of Beauty 'Fixes'

A New Era Has Arrived

"New era of plastic surgery transparency" was heralded when Kylie Jenner responded on Tiktok to a comment begging her to share the details of her breast augmentation: 

“445 cc, moderate profile, half under the muscle!!!!! silicone!!! garth fisher!!! hope this helps lol,”

It was so nonchalant, it was as if she was sharing her lip gloss shade. She was praised for her honesty. 

I lived some of my formative years in Seoul, Korea, where parents "gift" their children with a rhinoplasty at high school graduation. One in five women undergo plastic surgery. So it was not at all unusual to meet a friend after a few months and see new double eyelids, a perkier nose, a drastic weight loss. Even when it was this normal, it was never discussed openly. 

Does Transparency Make It Better? 

Is it a new level of self-acceptance that women are being transparent about the modifications they've undergone? 

I would say yes, this is a new level of confidence. 

Does it make it better that beauty standards are set to those who have undergone intrusive, dangerous and often unaffordable procedures? 

I would say no. 

We have to ask, why are people putting themselves through an excruciating surgery with real health implications? It's to uphold themselves to an elusive beauty standard that they cannot meet otherwise. 

It's a beauty standard that's manufactured to monetise our insecurities. 

The cost of these procedures are unattainable for many. And we cannot ignore the environmental impact of normalising such surgeries.   

Final Thoughts

Some might argue it's a personal choice - people should be free to do what they want on their own bodies. 

I agree with that. 

But, I would like to know, is this the fix? What is there to fix in the first place?