We are often warned to watch how we behave in the presence of children. The reason being is that children are impressionable. Mass media is one of the most significant platforms used to exploits children’s impressionability. Mass media’s purpose is to provide information and entertainment to the public as well as persuade it, whether directly or indirectly. Children are exposed to many images and ideals because of their exposure to the media. One ideal children see is that of women and their beauty. The media has set a specific beauty standard for women in the media and this ideal has ideals led to a constantly increasing rate of cosmetic surgeries being performed in America. But how exactly has mass media normalized the use of cosmetic surgery in American culture? Mass media has negatively affected our relationships with our bodies by presenting the public with specific and often biologically unrealistic expectations of beauty. 

In modern culture, technological tools make obtaining news and images accessible almost everywhere and at any time one desires. According to a BBC article published in 2015 by technological reporter Jennifer Wakefield, “children aged five to sixteen spend an average of six and a half hours a day in front of a screen compared with around three hours in 1995.” A staggering shift within the past two decades shows that younger generations are spending more than half the amount of time viewing mass media platforms than they used to. One can infer that during that time children are exposed to various images of promotion. Because children are still undergoing crucial stages for mental development, children and adolescents are often pinpointed as prime candidates for this characteristic or impressionability. One section of the brain, known as the frontal lobe, is responsible for many functions relevant to this topic. Decision making, memory, judgement, and social and sexual behavior are developed within the frontal lobe. These functions (specifically decision making, memory, and judgement) are linked to one another, so it is safe to say that the key to making a long-lasting impression on someone’s behavior and/or values is to constantly expose him or her to intended ideals at a young age.  

A subsection of the decision-making process of the frontal lobe, our vision, plays a key role in influence. Sight, one of the most powerful senses we possess, is equally as important as the functions of the frontal lobe. Our eyes are a pathway from our brain to the world and allow us to interpret the visuals of the world around us. They also are unintentional tools of persuasion and deception that tend to make us believe what we see and act accordingly to it. The more one is exposed to a visual representation of a certain ideal or principal, the more his or her frontal lobe processes it and begins to accept it as normal. This correlates to the study of the children’s television-watching habits and their perception of beauty. 

As result of this exposure to these visuals, children begin to mimic their favorite celebrities’ or cartoon’s behavior; they begin to desire products from advertisements they have seen; they unconsciously become accustomed to ideal body types. Captivated by the images on their screens, their minds begin to form associations. They believe that what they are viewing is something achievable for them. Sometimes the images that children idolize and desire to become have undergone countless amounts of alteration. Whether it be a new product or the model standing beside this product, our sight takes lead and the media is quick to deceive our eyes. The goal is to make an object appealing and appear without flaws. Techniques used to achieve this deception can be merely technical, such as dimming the lighting or saturating the image to masque imperfections or lackluster pigmentation. Cosmetic deception, such as make up or paint, can be applied to physically cover blemishes or enhance features. Digital alteration creates a slimmer or larger representation of the figure. Sometimes one can go as far as to completely replace an item or image with something aesthetically perfect, but not real. One may pass these images off as something real even though it was not biologically achieved. Striving for perfection is one of American’s greatest goals. Once an academic feat, the culture has shifted to a more superficial playground. Through various procedures, we alter what we know and switch it out for a better version.

While there are many disadvantages that mass media has had on the evolution and normalization of cosmetic surgery, there can be benefits to the knowledge of cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery, defined as surgery in which the principal purpose is to improve the appearance, is frequently portrayed as something shameful or vain. There is a negative stigma that surrounds it, but supporters attempt to shine a more positive and accepting light on these aesthetic procedures. For example, self-esteem can be boosted after plastic surgery. Dr. Rick Nauert, a professor at the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professionals, wrote an article that reported a study (what study/purpose of study) that his colleague conducted on breast augmentation patients before and after surgery. The participants’ average self-esteem score increased from 20.7 to 24.9 on the 30-point Rosenberg scale (Nauert, 2015). This evidence shows that satisfaction levels are increased when people are proud of their bodies. Cosmetic surgery’s sole purpose is to alter the patient’s physical features to their suited preference. Not only would patients view themselves as more aesthetically appealing post-surgery, but the fact that they gained something that they desired is also a substantial boost to self-esteem. 

Also, a domino effect of benefits can occur following his or her operation. Dr. Norman H. Rappaport, a certified cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon, states that after cosmetic surgery self- confidence increases, mental and physical health improves, and more opportunities are granted (Rappaport, 2015). As stated before, when people are satisfied with their appearances they tend to become more confident in their actions and movements. This newly found boldness correlates to the influx of new opportunities offered to them. The opportunities being referred to can be career-related or pertaining to relationships. After surgery, there is a possibility of a shift between the patient’s interactions with his or her peers and/or colleagues. Mainly because of cosmetic surgery, the positions that become available to patients are majorly due to the enhancement of their appearance paired with gained confidence. They are given an opportunity to be in forefront of a desired industry or social group and it is a benefit that cannot go unacknowledged.  

Another benefit from cosmetic surgery is the improvement of physical health. Plastic surgeon David Matlock created his ideal body through cosmetic procedures as well as sculpted the body of his wife, Veronica. Both bodybuilders, Matlock and his wife are still encouraged to diet properly and exercise to maintain their physiques. In a 2013 interview with Barcroft TV, Matlock states that “a lot of my business is fat – doing liposuction – but I don’t like fat… I watch my weight, and I watch my wife’s weight.” Matlock, as well as some other people, have become addicted to these types of surgeries. Millions of patients go under the knife, hoping to transform into a better version of one’s self. In theory, having cosmetic surgery sounds fine, but in practice it can take a heavy mental toll. Cosmetic surgery teaches a person to not settle for or accept the minor flaws he or she was born with thus lacking morality.

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Mass media has undoubtedly increased the amount of cosmetic procedures being performed in America. From the telegraph and post offices, to the radio and newspapers, to the newer media such as tabloids, television, and the internet, mass media has evolved tremendously. . Before the invention of the television in 1927, most platforms of media relied on language to appeal to audiences. However, when the television became pervasive, Americans could experience the visual component of persuasion. The most effective platform of mass media’s influence on civilians, the television, provides graphic entertainment and illustrations for the audience. Directors of television companies have come to the conclusion of what to broadcast based on their audience and the evolving culture. This includes sports, stories, movies. The people seen on television and in movies became known as celebrities. Often taking the position of role models, celebrities appearances become idolized by the audience. Considering most of the people featured on television and cinema were white, Europeans features became the ideal standard for beauty. 

On July 1, 1941, the first commercial was aired. It was nothing as elaborate as the commercials of today, but it was a starting point. The goal of advertising is to present products to potential customers. After this, product managers began seeking spokespeople for their advertisements. They commonly used familiar faces that the public would recognize in order to bolster their product sales. Recent research has suggested that endorser trustworthiness can influence persuasion by affecting the likelihood that recipients will engage.  If companies did not have an already known figure, they would hire amiable or attractive people to promote their products. This trend created multiple ideals of beauty in America. The more these faces  were seen  on television became what the general public perceived as appealing. These people were used as a ploy of persuasion, it fed into the idea that if one used the product being promoted one would be as beautiful and healthy as the spokesperson.

Overtime, as women began to gain rights in America, the way they became portrayed in the media had become overly sexualized. Naomi Wolf, the author of the Beauty Myth, argued that “the closer women come to power, the more physical self-consciousness and sacrifice are asked of them (28).” A woman became more scrutinized for her appearance as she rose to success in her career. Unable to accept the shift in culture, men attempted to undermine confidence. Depictions of women on television and magazines played a huge role in attitudes towards women. As the waists got smaller, the breasts got bigger. If women did not possess the ideal standard of beauty at the current time, then they would sense the lingering feeling of incompetence. This ideal applied to both genders. Men and women were encouraged to have certain in-shape body types. The only difference was, men were more on the lenient part of the spectrum. Since women were always considered second class citizens and subservient to men, it was easier for society to oppress them. They had experienced emotional battery long before this movement and it persisted. The unrealistic expectation of beauty produced negative feelings among American women. Younger generations of men learned that a woman did not deserve respect and were objects meant for sexual pleasure, and younger generations of women reluctantly accepted that they were going to be judged for the rest of their lives on something they could not control. In order to combat this inevitable event, women turned towards cosmetic products. In the Beauty myth, Wolf discusses that women are victims or objectification and the beauty industry capitalizes on the ever-decreasing self-confidence. Wolf claims, “The beauty myth generates low self-esteem for women and high profits for corporations as a result (49).” Makeup, “antiaging” cremes, weight loss pills, etc. are advertised and bought to no effect. As images are constantly shoved upon them, a more permanent solution was proposed: cosmetic surgery.

We currently live in a makeover culture. In the book, Skintight: An Anatomy of Cosmetic Surgery, the author states that makeover culture is “a state of where becoming is more desirable than being (12).” It is encouraged that if one doesn’t like something about themselves, they can change it. Medical technology has improved tremendously throughout the years and has allowed many to consider elective surgeries. Cosmetic surgery had been around for many decades before it rose to prominence. According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, including both minimally-invasive and surgical, were performed in the United States in 2012, up 5 percent since 2011. Reality television became an advertisement for cosmetic procedures, shows such as botched or nip/tuck, showcased the talents of surgeons and glamorized the procedures. In America, the top 10 cosmetic surgeries are ear surgery, forehead lift, dermabrasion, breast lift, facelift, tummy tuck, liposuction, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, and breast augmentation (CBS, 2010). Millions of these surgeries are performed a year, but no one stops to question is this necessary in order to be happy?  Morally misguided, our culture spends so much time and money focused on appearances. For the longest time, the standard for American beauty was thin, symmetrical, and white. Although the white women who didn’t quite achieve that image, minorities were the group suffered the most as they would never be able to reach the accepted criteria. Mainly rooted from institutionalized racism, minorities were often deemed unattractive in society. Underrepresented in media, minorities felt that their appearances were unworthy of being on the screen. And when they were seen, it was in a negative and stereotypical fashion. Minorities are a major clientele among plastic surgeons. Blacks, Latino, Asian American, Jewish, etc. opt for plastic surgery to fit the mold of American beauty. Sam Dolnick, a writer for the New York Times, claims there is an increasing number of American immigrants, as well as American-born citizens of ethnic backgrounds, in urban areas are using cosmetic surgery to conform to Americanized beauty ideals. But it isn’t just minorities using cosmetic surgery to achieve desired European features, caucasians use it to achieve more ethnic features. Recently – with the help of Kylie Jenner – the amount of lip filler procedures being performed in the US have risen. The ASPS also conducted a national survey asking more than 1,000 women which celebrity's lips they would most like to have. Jennifer Lawrence came in first, followed by Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Garner, Angelina Jolie, Kylie Jenner, Beyoncé, and Lisa Rinna (CBS, 2016). Caucasian women, known to have thinner lips, have adopted fuller looking lips as it a trend. The 21st century has witnessed a change in beauty ideal that boarders culture appropriation. Every racial demographic wants what another naturally has and gains it through medical procedures. White women want curvier bodies; black women and Jewish women want straighter noses; Asian women want bigger, more western eyes. Plastic surgery has become something casual and frequently used. Eva Wiseman, an editor for the Observer Magazine, states, “as it is normalised, and advertised, and as more people choose it, yet more will choose it, and any concept of an alternative – a life trying to get happier in our skin – will dim. We are starting to forget.”

Overall, mass media is damaging the physical and mental health of Americans. It causes negative feelings about body image. It has resulted in various eating disorders among women. Approximately eight million people in the United States suffers from an eating disorder. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), “numerous correlational and experimental studies have linked exposure to the thin ideal in mass media to body dissatisfaction, internalization of the thin ideal, and disordered eating among women.” Also, mass media and cosmetic surgeries relation resulted in laziness among the American population. Using cosmetic surgery to solve minor issues that can be improved through proper dieting and exercise. Liposuction, a surgery that removes unwanted fat from the desired areas of the body, is a quick but costly procedure for weight loss. Liposuction patients continue to get liposuction after they gain weight following their surgery. It is ultimately unhealthy for an individual to rely on cosmetic procedures to help them stay “in shape.” The solution is not cosmetic surgery, the solution is acceptance of one’s biological predisposition. It would not be that difficult to maintain health naturally. In order to lessen the cosmetic surgery epidemic, there needs to be regulations digitally altered ads or overly sexualized advertisements. Mass media exposure and the amount of cosmetic surgery procedure being related, there should be more representation of all ethnicities and body types. Stated in the introduction, the more one is exposed to a visual representation of a certain ideal or principal, the more his or her frontal lobe processes it and begins to accept it as normal. The public needs to become more aware and accepting of people. Everyone is different and should not feel pressured to become a silicone version of themselves.
