There is no lack of whispering amongst girls that some want plastic surgery before they graduate.
“My breasts are too small,” “I have cellulite” or “my nose is too big” are typical complaints from the average college lady, and there is especially cause to gripe when a stunningly beautiful girl walks by on campus. Of course, it also doesn’t help when you see the mirage of beautiful celebrities on television flaunting their perfected bodies for the world to see. Even people that seem the epitome of perfection have some parts of their bodies they are dissatisfied with. This leads to a decision between accepting or changing those “undesirable” attributes.
College can prove to be a shaky time for a lot of young women. There is an incredible amount of pressure to look attractive and be perceived as desirable. While college represents a period for self-discovery and independence, it also is a time when girls are insecure and vulnerable about their body image. There are thousands of good-looking females on college campuses, and with the uneven ratio between guys and girls at schools like UNC, many females feel the need to compete with other girls in order to attract guys.
With this plastic surgery craze it has never been easier to simply tweak or get rid of the body part that plagues you most. There is no surprise that even with the economic downturn, plastic surgery is still flourishing because people can always find flaws with themselves. The standards of beauty imposed today on the female population from pop culture, peer pressure, etc. is astounding and can cause many girls to buckle under the scrutiny to look attractive. These ideals are rarely achievable and are often from daily personal training sessions and professional portioned diets. Plastic surgery is seen as a viable, although not cheap, way for an extreme makeover. Many girls wish for cosmetic procedures, while others opt for other solutions, such as makeup rituals or workout regimes.
Any person can get plastic surgery without parental consent at age 18; at this age individuals are deemed emotionally mature and able to make that decision. Cosmetic surgery is no longer a fad for the rich and famous or a god-send for the old lady that is attempting to defy age. It is very much real and feasible for the common girl on the college campus.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2009 Quick Facts, 91 percent of all cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeries performed were for women. The top five procedures were breast augmentation, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction and tummy tucks. Saline-filled breast implants can be used for breast augmentation in women ages 18 and over, but silicone breast implants are only approved for use in women at least 22 years old. 210,000 plastic surgery procedures were performed on people age 13 to 19 in 2009, while 734,000 of the total cosmetic procedures were on women age 20-29. These procedures have the ability to alter that part of the body a girl hates most, and provide quick results. This new option of fixing appearances can sometimes seem easier, than an alternative of extensive gym workouts and dieting.
The monetary cost of plastic surgery is high. With college also being expensive, many girls in favor of surgery hesitate because of the cost. According to the website kidshealth.org, medical insurance covers reconstructive surgery but not cosmetic procedures. So if you’re for plastic surgery and short on cash, what other options are available? Many girls ask for plastic surgery as a graduation gift after college if they have their heart set on surgery.
With girls wanting a confidence boost, going under the knife has become a common option. No matter the motivation, college girls have the option of personally deciding whether plastic surgery is for them or not.
Sources:
2009 Quick Facts; Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Trends. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Statistics/2009_Statistics.html)
Plastic Surgery for Teenagers Briefing Paper. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Briefing_Papers/Plastic_Surgery_For_Teenagers.html)
Plastic Surgery. Teens Health. (http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/plastic_surgery.html)
PlasticSurgeryProsand Cons (Photo): http://plasticsurgerytrust.com/plastic-surgery-pros-and-cons-list
Plastic Surgery Cost (Photo): http://cheapcosmeticplasticsurgeryprices.com/2011/01/how-to-get-the-best-plastic-surgery-prices/