Right ladies and gents...got a question for you this morning.
What are you thinking about cosmetic surgery these days?
I always used to swear I would never have it, that it was just wrong.
But now I've changed my mind.
I am in the process of getting my teeth whitened and straightened (I have fluorosis so it is *sort of* necessary...I just want them to look normal).
I am fair, and spent half a year in Africa, so I have sun damage - a little just starting to show on my face, and a lot on my chest and shoulders. I want it lasered off and plan to do that after my teeth.
I used to have nice boobs, but they sag now with my weight yoyoing. I will consider having them uplifted after having kids, but I am not sure.
And I would certainly have Botox.
Ok...I'd better get saving.
Seriously though, the reason I am happy with the idea of this now is that it's just becoming so much more common.
Partly there's an element of keeping up with everyone else. It's not just the celebrities who have a face lift for breakfast...it's the girl down the road who works in the pub.
But I guess at the most basic level it still comes down to self-esteem.
What do you think? Anything wrong with wanting to make more of ourselves?
Or a truly evil industry?
Or both?
Will cosmetic surgery become as normal as...say...braces. How fair is it that kids need braces to fit in?
All ideas appreciated!
Love R xxx
Posted By: Rach-H-S
Comments to this post:
09/18/2008 06:23
Divided
Hey Rach -
I have to say I'm really divided on this. I've had laser stuff done - hair removal (and it has been fantastic, no kidding) but never anything else. I don't need any treatments yet, but I'm afraid that once I have a small procedure - like botox - I won't be able to stop at that. I mean - where does one draw the line with one's body? And at what point will a little freshening turn into an obsession with each wrinkle?
On the other hand, why should I deprive myself of tried and tested beauty procedures in a world skewed towards youth and beauty??
I'm not even gonna get started on the ethics mess in my head or righteous anger with a culture that tells every young girl that she *has* to be thin, fair and pimple free.
That's why I've decided to avoid the issue till I'm forty. By that time I'm hoping for non-invasive, painless, out patient procedures for everything.
I would definitely have surgery. I will be getting my boobs done after I have kids as want to breasfeed, but don't want the saggy empty sacks that come after it!
Also I want an eye-lift for my 30th birthday. I'm only 23 at the moment and I already have saggy eyelids and huge eyebags, so I know by the time I'm 30 they will be horrific.
I would also consider lipo, but only if I have a serious problem losing the tummy after kids. wouldn't do it now unless I was a millionaire!
I don't see anything wrong with sorting yourself out if you can afford it!
Part of me is like, whatever happened to loving yourself? And what kind of message does all this send to little girls? Do we all have to be blonde toothpicks with tans and big boobs to be attractive? I don't think so. Isn't variety the spice of life? I have a friend who has had three kids & breast fed all of them who recently had her breasts done. Her DH begged her not too because he loved her the way she was but she wasn't happy with her body. Also, her mom had hers done about 2 years ago and they have always had a body competition going on. When my friend got down to size zero, so did her mom. When my friend started talking about getting a boob job, her mom went out and got one. I see it all the time. Moms walking around wearing the exact same clothes as their teenage daughters. Is there a point when a woman should stop dressing in the juniors department? Where does it stop? Sorry, I got off track.
On the other hand, I would love to have my teeth straightened because I didn't have the luxury of getting braces when I was a teen. And some day I too will probably want a boob job if I have kids and my boobs are just ridiculously saggy. But I have had small boobs, crooked teeth, and a big ass all my life and I have been able to find happiness. Does that mean there is something wrong with me? Sure, I have never been the prettiest girl in the room but isn't there more to life than looks?
i think every woman is entitled to a mid-life pick me up, wherever she may feel necessary. i also believe that there is a fine line between enhancing your natural looks and joan rivers. be careful, but feel beautiful.
I would love to have some boobs and my belly fixed, but I don't think I could ever be at peace with it.
Money, of course, would be an issue. I sure wouldn't do it unless we were completely debt free. Then I would feel like I could do so much other stuff with the money. Something for someone else even. I don't know why though, I don't feel that way when I buy other things. I don't feel that way when I get my hair done or buy makeup. Maybe because it's such a large chunk of money? I don't know, but I really don't think I could peacefully spend money like that on myself.
With that being said, when you get right down to it, it's such a focus on SELF! Usually, if I am paying attention to when I think I need something like this, I'm so focused on what is not "enough" about me. That is usually when I am paying attention to the media via magazines or TV. So much of what we see of those images is a lie though. The individual has altered themselves, or the picture has been altered so we never really know the truth.
Truth is, I am a child of God, and when I am listening to HIS voice I am more than enough.
Surgery, any surgery, is risky. It's one thing to have a procedure because you are sick, but it's something completely different to risk complications for something cosmetic and elective. I think "what if" a lot. What if I had a stroke in recovery, or worse yet DIED? It is possible to have SERIOUS complications. I know a 24yo that had gastric bypass, and now can't even feed herself from stroking out in recovery. (of course, it could have turned out the other way and she would have walked out of the hospital on her way to becoming a healthy young woman) It's a risk. A risk I'm not sure I would be willing to take. My family would carry the burden of caring for me, or worse yet lose me forever for something that was completely unecessary.
With that said, I believe that is where I think the difference comes in from something like braces or teeth procedures -vs- surgery. With braces you really don't have major risk. I would be more ok with something like that.
Don't trust Botox. Is it really safe? I saw a funny clip on Saturday Night Live once where Winona Rider and some other ladies were making fun of botox. Winona's character said....."I would love to have part of my face paralyzed but I'm too young for a stroke.....BOTOX!" LOL!!! I about fell out of my chair from laughing.
I once heard a preacher say somthing that REALLY stuck with me. I came home after hearing it and got rid of my fund actually. He said "all of this emphasis on plastic surgery puts the focus on the outer man. When we are focused more on the outer man than the inner man, it's like going to the grocery store, buying $1,000.00 worth or groceries, coming home and throwing the groceries away and keeping the bag."
The bag is NOT what's important. It's the groceries that make a differnce.
That really hit home with me, and I have thought about it every time I consider going trhough with it. I don't know. I think about this a lot. (can you tell?) when I was younger I even started a "boob fund" to one day get some big ole boobies. I miss my small, flat, pretty stomach. I see people before and after procedures and watch there confidence SOAR. I think "would it really be that bad?" But the feelings that I listed above are very real to me. I honestly don't think I could ever go through with it. Not peacefully anyway.
*whew* that was a good question you put out there.
Heck yeah, you should have whatever procedure you see fit! I've had 2 consults for a tummy tuck and liposuction. The cost is about 10K, not covered by insurance, and I am just on the fence. Mainly, do I really want a huge scar across my bikini line???
I've considered Botox. I'm definitely getting Sclerotherapy (spider vein removal)...I've done it before about 10 years ago, but need it again. I also had a breast reduction...after kids. I do not regret that in the least!!!
is what I say. The only thing I hate is when you get so much done that you no longer look like you. I say look like you - only better !
I've had laser hair removal and lasik to get rid of glasses. I'd do the breast uplift if I had the money but as for any "crowsfeet"...I'm okay with them, they give me character and are marks of my life of smiling!
