 The media is driving men, women, and children senseless by shining a spotlight onto the mindset that we must look a certain way to be accepted in today's society. People are curious as to what they can take part in to change their body image. The number one solution in America on how to fix ourselves is plastic surgery. The amount of money Americans spent on plastic surgery procedures has increased tremendously in the past century. In 2010, money spent on these surgeries was up three percent, and research proves that spending in 2016 is up an even greater percentage (Staff). Not only do these procedures break the bank, they can also bring harm to one's body. Plastic surgery has horrifying side effects the media chooses not to broadcast. These often dangerous surgeries are not only being carried out on women but on men and children as well. All ages and genders are attempting to mold themselves into the shape society dictates they must be in, resulting in money being wasted, people suffering severe health issues, and some becoming addicted to the procedures. This an issue not getting enough attention in America today.

I am a firm believer in the idea that we are made perfect in our own image and that we should think highly on our self-image, the way we view ourselves, our abilities, and our appearance. I also argue that as a nation, we have more resourceful places the billions of dollars spent on plastic surgery could go towards. Research shows that due to the media's time and attention on self-image, plastic surgery is escalating in today's society; this is important because as human beings we should feel confident enough in our own skin to live, grow old, and love and be loved as we are. 

Some say we are in the "Reconstruction Era", the reconstruction of people's bodies, that is. What many people do not know is that plastic surgery has been practiced for over 2,700 years (Geldner). There are two branches of plastic surgery: cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgeries aim to improve the appearance of an individual while reconstructive surgeries aim to improve a certain function of the body (Hoeyberghs). During the World Wars, reconstructive surgeries were performed on injured soldiers in an attempt to fix their injuries. This has developed into not just fixing people's injuries but "fixing people's flaws". In the past, plastic surgery was strictly a medical procedure but has developed over the years into a procedure to "better" oneself. The first ever breast augmentation was performed in Germany in 1893 and silicone breast implants became popular in the 1960's. Breast augmentations remain at the top of the charts in today's most popular surgeries. Any type of plastic surgery is technically classified and treated   as a medical procedure, but is now used as a way to restore self-esteem. Though these practices have been performed for thousands of years, they are being carried out in today's society more than ever before.

Plastic surgery is not all in all a bad thing. Procedures can be beneficial to those who need something reconstructed medically such as after a car wreck, a dog bite, or a wounded war soldier, but the two words have been taken out of context in America today. RealSelf constructed a survey by asking random civilians on the street what the first thing to come to mind was when they heard the words plastic surgery. Many answers were names of famous people (Plastic Surgery Youtube). This is alarming. This suggest that the first thing to come to people's minds when hearing 'plastic surgery' are these "perfect" celebrities in the media. In another journal article a woman argued that plastic surgery was one of the best decisions she had ever made. She believes that her first plastic surgery procedure boosted her self-confidence before transferring to a new high school. The author claims no one there would know the "old ugly" her. She loved the results and attention so much that she continues to use the surgeries to improve herself. While researching plastic surgery and the causes as to why the industry is so popular, many articles argued a leading cause was to boost self-confidence. Everyone has felt some kind of discomfort in the way that they are made, we are human and we want to be liked so we will go to extremes to achieve that. If there wasn't a standard of beautiful shoved down our throats by the media everywhere we look, people wouldn't feel such a pressure to reconstruct their already beautiful selves. I believe without the media and celebrities creating this image "normal" people will never achieve, the number of plastic surgeries in America would decrease and Americans as a whole would feel better living in their own skin.

Plastic surgery is no longer a rare and obscure operation because of the influence the media has on people throughout the world. The media has a way of making people believe you must be tall, slim, have perfect skin, and perfect features. What people do not understand is this certain type of beauty is unattainable. Unattainable beauty is found when people compare themselves to computer generated models. Our culture obsesses over the idea of the "perfect" body image and it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on men, women, and children. This pressure is a leading cause of why plastic surgery is being performed in our nation now more than ever. This pressure is also a leading cause in suicides in America. Our news channels are constantly having to broadcast suicides of people because they couldn't live with the pressure of having to look a certain way to fit in so they take their lives. It's a sad case when a human is being bullied because of the way they are made and I believe without the medias direct effect, this wouldn't be such an issue in our nation. If women could attain the "perfect" image and have what media calls the Barbie Doll Proportions, she would not be able to survive. Her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body and her body would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver. A women with a body built with these particular proportions would suffer from chronic diarrhea and die from malnutrition (Reinman). Media is all around so this "perfect" image is constantly being put into people's minds. TV shows, magazines, movies, and even books portray the "perfect" people. The media is using resources such as popular TV shows, I Want a Famous Face or Nip/Tuck, to give people consent to go through with surgeries (Erupting Minds). These shows or magazine articles are normalizing the idea of plastic surgery to where it is no longer an option, but a demand. Our culture has their mind already set on exactly what pretty looks like and to them there is no in-between. Most individuals partaking in the surgeries think to be accepted or acknowledged one must fit into that pretty category. However, most people do not so they feel pressured to change themselves to look that way. The media knows they have an astronomic impact on a person's everyday life and use this to their advantage by forcing the "perfect" image into everything they promote. As if being a teen is not hard enough, the expectations media places on teens make it ten times harder to accept who they truly are. The same goes for older women; they believe they will not be loved or recognized by a man because they are not structured the way women on television or in the Victoria Secret Magazines are. People do not feel comfortable growing old naturally because of the media's effect on humanity. It is distasteful knowing that more people are now are engaging in plastic surgery than in the past because of the substantial effect the media has.

Plastic surgery is often associated with women, but procedures are being performed on men and children as well.  In 2011, ninety-one percent of plastic surgeries were performed on women while nine percent were performed on men. Current studies show surgeries on men and children are rising in number due to men have feelings of insecurity and children being bullied in their schools (Plastic Surgery Guide). According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 130,000 children under the age of eighteen undergo plastic surgery. Sky-rocketing rates continue to rise due to not only women, but men and children having procedures.

The media never seems to elaborate on the risks of these surgeries and the recovery process after completion. Cosmetic surgeries actually have low rates of complications, but with every surgery, there are often major risks taken such as: abnormal heart rhythm, airway obstruction, serious blood clots, brain or nerve damage, heart attacks or strokes, temporary paralysis, or even death. For instance, a man native to Tulsa, Oklahoma took an ultimate risk having a nose job procedure done. Five years later, complications arose that resulted in serious breathing problems. Throughout 2006 and 2007, he had eight more procedures to repair the problems. The doctor's attempts did not go as planned. In 2011, he had his last surgery resulting with his nose being amputated. This man took a risk like many others take and the image he sees in the mirror is now forever changed. Stories like this are events the media or the doctors often omit. The effects and risks of plastic surgery should be taken more seriously. Between 2002 and 2004, eight patients died after their surgeries (Plastic Surgery Guide). The statistics given may not portray high numbers of deaths; nonetheless, these deaths could have been prevented had beauty not been worth dying for. Even though laws have been passed regarding plastic surgery, the rate of scheduled procedures has not declined. Some plastic surgery effects are life threatening while others strictly hurt your body. People perceive plastic surgeries as always having a positive outcome when in reality the result is often times a negative. The affects that are being left on men, women, and children after their procedures are repulsive. Also, because plastic surgery is still considered to be a medical procedure with many risks, the recovery process could be lengthy and unpleasant. For example, you cannot return to your occupation for at least three days or up to three months and you may not exercise nor have an excess amount of movement for about a month. For most surgeries, you should avoid sunlight, over the counter medicine, smoke, and keep all follow up appointments. The recovery period can be painful and uncomfortable according to how serious the procedure is. Surgery results may not show for months and there is no sure way the results will be what one expects, yet the risk and recovery factor will always be present.

Billions of dollars are spent annually on procedures because of the demand of plastic surgery. The prices of plastic surgery procedures are extremely costly; in 2011 alone, Americans spent 10.4 billion dollars (Huff). For example, an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) would cost you $5,278 and a simple facelift would cost $6,408. Listed here are exclusions from the surgery fee: the surgical facility, anesthesia, medical tests, prescriptions, surgical garments, or any other cost that is not the surgery itself (Cost/Types). This money could be used in a more resourceful way to benefit our country such as assisting the millions who are struggling financially rather than spending on superficial procedures. In 2010, every twenty-five minutes someone in the country engaged in some type of plastic surgery. Two out of every three patients engaging in the surgeries are ones who have already had a procedure performed on them. More money than ever is being invested into the plastic surgery industry.  

The increasing rate of plastic surgeries being performed is terrifying. Presently the upmost amount of money is being spent on plastic surgery than ever before. The media's effect influences ones opinion on how one must look a certain way to be perceived as "pretty" in our society and the only way to mold themselves into this stereotype is to partake in some type of plastic surgery (Plastic Surgery Is Rising). American citizens need to realize that each individual is made differently and is completely out of our control to determine what beauty truly is. As human beings, our beauty is not determined by popular magazines, but by being whom you were made to be. Self-image is the opinion we have of ourselves, and our self-image should never lead us to plastic surgery or harm to cause harm to our bodies. As independent individuals we should be accepted as we are, where we are, and not need plastic in our bodies to validate us as a man, woman, or child. I understand and accept the fact that plastic surgery will at no time cease completely in America and I understand not all plastic surgery is used to alone better oneself. The beneficial plastic surgeries used for medical procedures should not be taken away from those in need but nevertheless a change can occur for stopping the surge of plastic surgery procedures used strictly for beauty purposes in the American society. As a nation we should spend our money more resourcefully, be comfortable in our own skin, make others feel confident in who they were created to be, and stop allowing the media to dictate what the definition of beautiful is. The public obsession of plastic surgery that is arising in our nation must be stopped.


