America And The Silicone Epidemic

6 Pages 1478 Words

America and the Silicone Epidemic
Turn on the television, or pick up almost any magazine, and you’ll be bombarded by images of slim, sexy, voluptuous, models, with flawless complexion and perfect hair. “So what’s the problem with that”, you might ask yourself? The problem is that all this extreme overexposure to “the perfect body or face” can wreak havoc on ones self esteem and sense of self worth. How do people manage to keep up with this high level of social pressure to look good? For many, it means extra time spent at the gym, trying to burn those extra calories and shed those couple extra pounds, but there is an alarming increase in the desire for a “quick fix”. This “quick fix” is cosmetic surgery, and studies show that the number of people using cosmetic surgery to solve
their personal dissatisfaction is increasing at an alarming rate.
The once low-key, obscure realm of plastic surgery was a quick, not so easy fix for a select number of wealthy female baby boomers, however this trend has changed dramatically. More shocking is the number of men undergoing plastic surgery to try and turn back dreadful hands of time. According to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, over the last five years, the number of men having liposuction has tripled, and the number of men having face-lifts has doubled. Furthermore, in 1997, men spent approximately $130 million on liposuction, face-lifts, nose reshaping, and eyelid surgery, up from $88 million in 1992. Comparatively, when spent $882 million in 1997 on plastic surgery, which is up from $479 million in 1992. Yet many people wonder what has caused this dramatic rise of self-dissatisfaction in men?
According to Corey Maas, a San Francisco based plastic surgeon, “it’s a growing trend. After all these years of guys walking around with big beer bellies and wrinkly faces while women are looking better and better, finally men are catching on.” F...