Is plastic surgery okay?

More specifically, is it okay when a celebrity gets plastic surgery? 

The obvious answer to me is, of course, yes! Why shouldn't they?

But there is a small part of me that can fully see why people say no, they shouldn't. So we'll start with that small, niggling part of my mind shall we? 

Celebrities have an undeniably strong influence over huge portions of the world. We all love celebs, lust over their lifestyle, browse through their social media feeds when we're bored and aspire to their way of life, from the things they can buy, the cars they can drive to the way that they look. Boys want girls who look like a Kardashian, girls want to look like Tammy Hembrow...we just love celebrities. 

So yes, I can understand why people, particularly parents, might find it damaging to a younger individual when a celebrity they seemingly idolise gets plastic surgery. What kind of ideas does this put into a child's head? That its normal to want to change yourself, sometimes to the point of beyond recognition? That you can resolve all of your flaws just by snapping your fingers and getting bits of you chopped off, slimmed down, inflated to drastic sizes? Of course it's not that easy, and it can be difficult as a parent to explain this to your child. From a parental view point, I totally get it. 

But now let's look at the bigger picture. In 2014, 41,364 plastic surgery procedures were done, having 91% of all cosmetic procedures that took place in that year. The most popular was unsurprisingly breast augmentation, with other popular procedures including brow lifts, fat transfers and even eyelid ops. Whilst statistics have shown that plastic surgery figures have begun to decrease, with people preferring to tweak small parts of themselves than have entire procedures, 41,364 procedures is still a huge number. This indicates to us that a lot of women are having plastic surgery- approximately 113 procedures a day.

And it's not just the women- it's men too. In 2014, there were 4,042 procedures carried out on men, ranging from breast reduction to eyebrow lifts to eyelid ops- the most popular of all. And again, whilst this was actually a decrease from the year before, it still equates to about 11 procedures a day.

What these statistics tell us is that it's becoming more and more of a common thing to have surgery done. I myself know several people who have had surgery, with two girls I know having breast augmentation and one of these same girls also having surgery on her lips to achieve a fuller pout- and both of them look great, feel great about their surgery and have had a confidence boost! Even my best friend and I have considered getting our lips done to achieve a more Kylie Jenner-esque pout. It's pretty much a normality now- and I really don't think that's a bad thing. 

But is this down to the influence of celebrities? I don't think so. Of course, they play a part. We are constantly shown the transformation of people such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, two of the most infamous examples of celebs who have undergone 'subtle' surgery. 

Credit: Life & Style Mag

But celebrities don't just use plastic surgery- they use photoshop and professional make up artists who have the incredible ability to alter how people look, and I think that a lot of the time this is forgotten. To me, the main influence of pushing plastic surgery down people's throats is not so much celebrities themselves, but rather the mainstream media, photoshopping women to ridiculous, unobtainable standards and giving this image to young girls to aspire to. 

Magazine covers, adverts for popular products, signs on the sides of buses and on billboards, they all show women looking the same, portraying the 'ideal' body for all to see- young individuals included. 6 foot tall, size 0, DD breasts, a Kardashian booty, a big full pout, long, luscious hair...none of which the model herself possesses as she's more than likely been photoshopped to within an inch of her life. You could forbid a child from looking at celebrities but you can't hide them from every day advertising- it's just not possible. So yes, whilst a celebrity might influence an individuals thoughts regarding body image and plastic surgery, this is definitely not the sole cause. 

...but even if it was, why is it an issue? 

What is the big deal with plastic surgery? If someone doesn't like something about themselves, why shouldn't they be able to alter it? Be it something as minor as a little botox to get rid of some frown lines or something as big as liposuction, what's the issue? If it makes someone feel more confident in their own skin, if it makes someone happier about themselves, is there really a problem at all? 

I don't think so. 

Obviously, some people do go to extreme lengths with their surgery, and that can be down to an unhealthy obsession, or even something as serious as an addiction. One example of this is people who get their faces altered to look exactly like a celebrity. However, with that being said, what is the issue? They're happier with who they are now. So what if its through surgery? 

Having plastic surgery doesn't make you 'fake'. It doesn't make you 'plastic'. It certainly doesn't make you less of a person than someone who hasn't had surgery. Whilst your body may not be a naturally obtained one, as long as you feel more confident in yourself, that's what matters. People forget that celebrities are humans too- they have flaws and insecurities, and if they want to fix them, why shouldn't they? Whilst they do have some form of 'responsibility' when it comes to influencing fans, they don't hold a gun to their fans heads and say "this is something you have to do". If a fan chooses to get plastic surgery because they were inspired by one of their favourite celebrities, at the end of the day it all comes down to their personal decision- as I've said, the celebrity isn't forcing anyone. They are a source of inspiration, that is all. 

Now I know everyone has different opinions, but this is mine. If you're feeling uncomfortable with part of your body and want to alter it, then fine! Go ahead! I'd love to get liposuction and lip fillers so I could be skinnier with nicer lips- and maybe one day I will! Other people would rather use make up techniques and lose weight naturally. Each to their own. Either way, we shouldn't be judging people for their life choices- not celebrities and not normal people either. If plastic surgery is for you, brilliant. If it's not, brilliant. After all, people are more than their looks.

We need to stop being so obsessed about the life choices other people make and we definitely need to stop dragging them for it. Let people live their lives how they want whilst you live yours. Get over it. 

Is plastic surgery okay? It sure as hell is. 

Love from,

Florence Grace

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