Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Two Faces Have I

I just realized I have a double standard. And I can't explain it, even to myself.


I have no problem with cosmetic dental surgery. I'm all over "potions and lotions" to improve skin elasticity, erase wrinkles, and treat blemishes. Microderm abrasion and facial peels sound pretty cool, too.

But I can't reconcile myself to plastic surgery. That includes face lifts, tummy tucks, Botex and boob jobs. I'm not morally opposed to it - I'm Beckally opposed to it. It's like I'm okay with external renovations - it's once needles and knives are involved that I get all question mark-y.

What do you think?

21 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I agree with you if it's purely for cosmetic reasons.

Christa Jeanne said...

Huh. I never analyzed it like that, but I guess I'm totally the same way! The difference is that one is trying to enhance/preserve what you've got naturally, while the other is a major change to what God's given.

I spent enough time covering Laguna Beach and Coto de Caza (two really ritzy parts of Orange County) to decide that plastic surgery is definitely not a good idea. These women get so addicted to it, they look unnatural and freaky! I'd rather gracefully embrace aging - with some good facial lotions on hand, of course.

(Oh, and for the record - I don't care for veneers. I understand why a lot of people get them, but I'm not a fan, personally.)

heidizinha said...

i'm totally getting a boob job in 10 years.

Deb said...

I'm pretty much like you... If someone has reconstructive surgery after an accident, or has a birth defect corrected, I'm all for it. But the idea of having my looks altered squicks me out, and I confess that I think less of celebrities after I find out they've had work done.

Wonder Woman said...

I don't think this is wrong or abnormal at all. Doing little things to improve the health of your skin is a good thing. Paying thousands of dollars to have someone cut your face open is excessive.

I'm not opposed to things like Lapband, either, because that isn't purely cosmetic -- it helps people get healthy. I honestly don't think it's two-faced. Two-faced would be not approving of nose jobs, but being okay with boob-jobs.

Kazzy said...

I would never do it myself, but I know a few women who have had some work done and they are happier and more confident. Sometimes people just feel better when they change themselves cosmetically. I have a friend whose husband didn't want her to get a certain surgery, but once she did she felt so much better about herself that it really played out in their relationship and she was more pleasant and more sure of herself. If we have never had a real struggle like these people who really struggle with their appearance we can't really know what it is like, I guess. And also, I believe there is plenty of pain and needles in dental cosmetic surgery if you need a real overhaul.

Sorry to play devil's advocate. Good topic though. :)

Melanie Jacobson said...

Interesting. I just read one article and heard another report on the radio recently about getting plastic surgery is practically a hobby in Brazil. I'm against plastic surgery for things that you can't change through hard work, but I understand why some people have boob jobs, etc., and I think most of them made the right move for them.

The Prices said...

hmmm...all I can say is maybe you don't know what it's like to be a grown woman who doesn't even fill out an A cup and has received suggestions to shop in the junior bra aisle...but I see your point and there is a reason that a stigma surrounds plastic surgery ...ya' know all the rich bimbos getting nipped and tucked and filled.

Lady of Perpetual Chaos said...

This IS an interesting topic. And I'm probably about to give TMI but here I go anyway. I think it depends on the situation. For myself, I wouldn't be opposed to a tummy tuck because I have such terrible stretch marks on my abdomen (they bled during pregnancy) that, regardless of my weight, they will never go back. My stomach just sags and it's very uncomfortable. My doctor told me there wasn't much I could do to prevent/treat them because of my complexion(very fair). Also, I'm a little too, um, well endowed for my overall size to the point that I have back problems. I totally wouldn't mind a two for one deal...get a breast reduction with a side of tummy tuck/excess skin removal. My doctor actually recommended a tummy tuck when I'm done having kids. I wonder if I could get a prescription for that...
I guess it comes down to how you feel about yourself as well. Everyone wants their outside to reflect their inside. Some of us need medical help in order to do that. ;o)

Harmony said...

I'm with heidi. and i think the 3 of us should get boob jobs together.

Rachel Sue said...

I kind of felt like you did for a while until my dear friend had plastic surgery. She had a tummy tuck and a boob job. At first I couldn't belive it. But then she explained. She is in a disentagrating (sp?) marriage. Her husband has put her down for YEARS. To the point that her self esteem is almost non-existant. She basically felt huge and disgusting (when in realtiy she has never been larger than a size 10.)
Anyway, she went in to get a hernia fixed after she had her last baby. The location of the hernia required a tummy tuck. And while she was there, kind of on a whim, she decided to get her boobs done. (money isn't really an object for them). It helped her self-esteem. And it helped that her husband thought that her sex appeal had improved therefore the insults at least lessened.
Since then I realize that there are more reasons than vanity to have these kinds of things done. Therefore, I try to reserve judgement. (sometimes I fail. But I try really hard.)

kristi said...

Wow rachel, your friends husband sounds like a real peach!!!! I am mad that he treated her like crap and now that her body is hotter he can be nice now. But anyways, would I mind getting a tummy tuck and a boob lift, of course not. Will I ever get it done, I highly doubt it. I say to each her own.

Randi said...

Neither bothers me in the least. If it makes you feel better, and you can afford it, I say go for it.

Of course I had a breast reduction when I was 19, so I may not be the person to ask. But I am so very glad I did it, even 20 years later!

InkMom said...

I am already saving my money for the breast reduction surgery I will have as soon as I am done having children. And for the reconstruction that will have to be done on my . . . other parts because of said children. Surgery to prevent back pain, or to keep you woman parts from falling out of your body? Totally okay. Surgery to make your body closer to an ideal that's absolutely phony and impossible to attain/maintain? Not okay. I think that means I agree with you.

lizzy-loo said...

i dream of getting things lifted back to where they used to be but have a dreadful fear of being the one to die on the table and forever after everyone would say, oh yeah she is the woman who died having her boobs done.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I think your attitude is pretty common...of course, I probably think that because it's exactly the same as mine. =)

LisAway said...

Reading through these comments has been a REAL eye opener for me! I thought I felt exactly as you do, but I think that I've always been okay with how I look. I've never known the feeling of hating to look at my own face or body, although I'm not sure I'm the type that would worry too much about it. Also, I don't have any belly issues, so I can't say anything about having that done. After my second kid I told Greg that I might want to do something about my chest (ahem) when we're done with kids. He was shocked and disturbed. I didn't mean to turn me into a model, just to put me a little closer to how I used to be. Breastfeeding has taken its toll. But really, if he's fine with it, so am I! (And I can't really believe I ever even thought of it)

RH said...

Plastic surgery to try to hide the aging process that you created because you didn't take care of yourself, is a sign of no self control. Plastic surgery you get because your once perky body just doesn't bounce back after adding to the family, is fine in moderation. Not everyone has super elastic skin and would just like to keep her puppies in their place, INSIDE a bra. Plastic surgery to try to be beautiful in someone else's eyes is ridiculous. Plastic surgery to correct a body defect caused by trauma is wonderful. Especially when it means you can hug your loved ones, smile, and live a basic life.
Overall if you are doing it because of society then there is an issue deeper than just what a repair shop can fix. If it is to improve a life, or just put things back in place, as long as you loved who were before, then who cares.

Momnerd said...

Yep, same. Although I do wish my stomach could get some help after my twins. Guess I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way! ;)

Amber said...

I'm of the opinion that it's a serious decision that requires deep soul searching and prayer if you're the praying type. I'm hoping for a boob reduction in a couple years...

Jen said...

I liked Inkmom's last thought, especially. I agree with you philosophically, but I'm glad I read the comments. It's a much more complex issue than I've generally thought about.