Plastic Surgery

[Cannon]

How do you feel about plastic surgery? Any cosmetic procedures (injections, hair transplants, veneers)?

Tom Ford has commented how he thinks surgeries look disastrous on men because of how obvious and unnatural it ends up looking. He says on a man you can see the bizarre tightness and their sideburns have been pulled back into their ears. Injections, however, are something he uses frequently.

Some women, like Nicole Kidman, are pretty universally assumed to have had procedures done despite denials. Others admit it. Others just can't hide it.

Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, and Keira Knightley have all spoken against it, especially among public figures where they feel it is irresponsible to let anyone think you naturally look so perfected and it pressures others to get procedures to match the standard of modifications.

I've gotten more lenient about it over time. I think if you are responsible and can afford it, then go ahead and its no one else's business. I, of course, encourage sticking with the looks you've got if you can.

What do you all think of it? Should you admit it if you have done anything as a public figure and potential role model? Should it never be done? Is it private and no problem? How does it affect level of attraction?

[bremersm]

I will stick with what God has given me. My wife seems to like it just fine

[JGL]

Hate it, hate it, hate it....unless its for medical reasons. I could care less what men do to their bodies. Women on the other hand...yuck. Especially the boobs. UGH! You don't look better. Stop it.

I think the bulk of my hatred towards plastic surgery comes less from it being physically unappealing (which it totally is) and more that I question a woman's mental stability and intelligence because of it. Being unintelligent is highly unattractive.

[LesserBlackDog]

I won't judge those who choose to have cosmetic plastic surgery for age or vanity (rather than, say, to correct deformities or reconstruct serious disfigurements). But I do judge our society for the values we propagate - values that make it seem rational for people to choose dangerous surgical procedures over aging naturally. Our culture ascribes social capital and even moral value to women based primarily on their youth and beauty. It's hard to picture a figure more invisible and less powerful in our culture than an unattractive, middle-aged woman. (See also: Susan Boyle and our shocked reaction to a dumpy-looking woman who actually exhibits a modicum of talent and skill.)

I think plastic surgery for vanity is silly and dangerous, but not nearly as dangerous as a cultural norm that entirely dismisses women who happen not to be young, thin, and attractive.

[Cannon]

Hate it, hate it, hate it....unless its for medical reasons. I could care less what men do to their bodies. Women on the other hand...yuck. Especially the boobs. UGH! You don't look better. Stop it.

I think the bulk of my hatred towards plastic surgery comes less from it being physically unappealing (which it totally is) and more that I question a woman's mental stability and intelligence because of it. Being unintelligent is highly unattractive.

What about breast reductions for cosmetic reasons?

I think enlargement is never necessary. Keira Knightley has been outspoken against that after a controversial series of ads for The Duchess being Photoshopped to enlarge hers, and I say good for her. I don't think women need to do it. That said, I don't automatically think they look bad or that it can't look better to many people. But there is really something for a person to be proud of when he or she's willing to remain largely unaltered and unpersuaded by unnecessary modifications.

How about teeth whitening, braces or Invisalign, acne treatments, and muscle-sculpting exercises? They are milder and more common cosmetically driven acts.

[Vicious49]

I'm a bit scared thinking about how my wife might need to have breast reduction surgery at some point. She's relatively young and has back pains sometimes so I'd imagine its only going to get worse as she gets older.

I've always been against plastic surgery, but in this case we might not have much of a choice.

[JGL]

What about breast reductions for cosmetic reasons?

How about teeth whitening, braces or Invisalign, acne treatments, and muscle-sculpting exercises? They are milder and more common cosmetically driven acts.

Breast reductions for cosmetic reasons? I have never in my life heard of a woman doing that for cosmetic reasons. That being said I think I would be slightly less against it as it wouldn't involve putting sacks of man made liquid into someones body. They should look and move naturally as a result. I would ultimately still question their intelligence though.

[LesserBlackDog]

What about breast reductions for cosmetic reasons?

I think enlargement is never necessary. Keira Knightley has been outspoken against that after a controversial series of ads for The Duchess being Photoshopped to enlarge hers, and I say good for her. I don't think women need to do it. That said, I don't automatically think they look bad or that it can't look better to many people. But there is really something for a person to be proud of when he or she's willing to remain largely unaltered and unpersuaded by unnecessary modifications.

How about teeth whitening, braces or Invisalign, acne treatments, and muscle-sculpting exercises? They are milder and more common cosmetically driven acts.

Anyone who has ever had surgery (I've had several, ranging from relatively minor to life-or-death) can tell you that there is a vast difference between putting yourself in, essentially, an artificially induced vegetative state and letting someone slice your body apart, and the minor, truly superficial alterations listed above (teeth whitening, braces, acne treatments).

As far as I know, breast reduction surgeries are relatively common, and while they may be motivated in small part by aesthetic concerns, they are typically done more to relieve issues like chronic back pain. A family friend of mine had breast reduction surgery for this reason.

It's normal for society to have particular standards of beauty, and normal for people to make minor, reasonable alterations to their natural appearance in order to conform more closely to those standards. These alterations can include anything from wearing more flattering clothing and makeup, to getting a particular haircut, to orthodontics, to undergoing a particular diet and exercise regimen to resculpt the body in a natural way.

But the fact that so many people feel compelled to risk their lives and health by undergoing very serious surgical procedures, simply to make cosmetic changes to their appearance, speaks to our culture's pathological approach to unattainable standards of beauty, particularly as they apply to women.

[Cannon]

Breast reductions for cosmetic reasons? I have never in my life heard of a woman doing that for cosmetic reasons. That being said I think I would be slightly less against it as it wouldn't involve putting sacks of man made liquid into someones body. They should look and move naturally as a result. I would ultimately still question their intelligence though.

I have heard of women who reduce the size because they feel it makes them look fuller, bloated, and heavier in the full body picture to keep larger breasts. Afterwords, they express appreciation for a proportional and slimmer figure. Similar to women who already have gotten reduced or removed implants, though these women are doubtlessly more open to the surgical procedures. Of course, this is usually done for health benefits instead.

I don't really get the dig at intelligence as I think there are many actors, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, etc. in the public spotlight that seem to be of proven intelligence and still go ahead and change whatever they want to change. I think its incredibly common for people to know what they consider to be their imperfections, so it isn't that much of a stretch to go and change it if you can afford to. Fix the teeth, dye the hair, fill the wrinkles, fix the nose's asymmetry, and so on. The risk and recovery over a fairly brief period may be completely worthwhile for a lifetime of security surrounding features to some people.

I have trouble with the idea that someone who is not secure with certain features to a point that they will change them somehow makes them similar to a mentally unstable person that truly needs mental treatment. If Adele were to get rhinoplasty tomorrow, I wouldn't really be shocked or questioning mental intelligence. I don't think they are essentially linked, even if in the private population they commonly occur together.

[JGL]

I was referring mainly to the common, everyday people who do this. Although I don't think celebrities need to do it either, I can see how their profession might dictate the changes they make to their bodies.