By Joy Rowden
Young people do not need to surgically alter their appearance to be attractive.
We should not normalize plastic surgery for young adults because of its negative impact on self-esteem. Social media’s rise has led many of its young users to become self-conscious about their appearance and seek cosmetic treatments to perfect their looks.
There is not a single person on Earth that does not have at least one insecurity about their appearance. Most people have a flaw they wish they could fix. But is it worth it to permanently alter your body and risk becoming botched at 20?
Instagram and Snapchat have only been around since the 2010s, yet billions of people use them, especially people 18 to 24 years old.
A-list celebrities have always gotten plastic surgery to keep their youthful-glow, but recently, social media influencers and young celebrities like Kylie Jenner have started to make a habit of getting cosmetic procedures.
Men and women both suffer from societal beauty standards, but society places a woman’s worth in her appearance more than it does in a man’s appearance.
Women have made up more than 90% of cosmetic procedures in both 2008 and 2018.
It is common for middle-aged women to get plastic surgery, such as Botox to blur their wrinkles and tummy tucks to disguise their post-baby pooch. But it has not always been common for young women to do the same.
These days, my YouTube and Instagram feeds are bombarded with my favorite influencers getting lip-fillers, nose jobs, boob-jobs, Botox and butt-lifts, despite being naturally beautiful.
If plastic surgery is going to make you happy and confident, then go ahead. There is nothing wrong with trying to make yourself feel better. But, I do not think young people need it.
Normalizing permanent or semi-permanent cosmetic procedures manufactures a fake ideal standard of beauty that people cannot naturally achieve. It teaches young people they cannot be attractive without altering their appearance. This also morphs their self-perception.
In 2018, there were about 17.7 million cosmetic procedures done in the United States, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Teenagers and adults ages 13-29 years old made up about 6% of all the procedures done in 2018.
There has also been a 139% increase in the number of cosmetic procedures since 2000.
Young women tend to get procedures not only to perfect but for preventive measures as well, which is something I can respect. Botox is commonly used to prevent wrinkles and fine lines that become more visible with age, which is the number one minimally invasive treatment.
But here is the thing, we are not meant to stay youthful-looking forever. It is a losing battle. However, there is nothing wrong with trying to maintain your beauty as you age.
People can prevent premature aging if they just take care of themselves by eating right, exercising, staying away from excess sun exposure, having a good skincare regime, limiting substance use and getting enough sleep.
Plastic surgery is more appropriate for individuals who want to reconstruction due to things like accidents, birth defects or pregnancy. These people are more focused on looking and feeling normal than they are about perfecting themselves.
Listen to me. You are beautiful. You are handsome. Enjoy your youth, you look great! Embrace your unique and natural beauty.
Influencers can you please stop promoting plastic surgery?
