The Importance Of Cosmetic Enhancements In The Media

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Recommended: Societal standards of beauty

Straight teeth, wrinkle-free skin, a super thin body and a perfect nose; these are just some of the many beauty standards that exist in society today. From rhinoplasty to Botox injections, cosmetic enhancement has become an increasingly common option to attempt to boost self-concept for many. What began as a taboo subject remains now not only acceptable, but a widespread trend that continues to grow. According to the ASPS, the total number of cosmetic procedures rose from 14,690,110 in 2012 to an astounding 15,116,353 in 2013. The continuous rise in aesthetic procedures results from poor self-image influenced by the false beauty standards projected by the media. Reasons for these procedures range from mature women wanting to look younger to the need of teenagers to fit in with the crowd and everything in-between but the true cause stems from the media. It’s proven that, “Social endorsements of an ideal body shape, such as those found in print and media formats, have been related to body image disturbance (Cusumano and Thompson 701-702). When the media presents these standards, they are internalized by the public and manifested into critical self-concepts which are a problem and the solution to these problems for some lies in cosmetic adjustments. One of the outlets through which the media broadcasts its unreasonable beauty ideals is television. Specifically, the wildly popular genre of reality television. Plenty of reality shows dealing with cosmetic enhancement have aired throughout the past decade such as, The Swan, Dr. 90210, and Extreme Makeover. These programs consist of taking an ordinary individual with cosmetic flaws and altering them into a new and improved version of themselves that better fits with the way that soc... ... middle of paper ... ...e feedback they long for but instead end up being bullied and made fun of, surgery becomes an option. ASPS reports that aesthetic procedures for teens 13-19 years old boosted 2% from 2011 to 2012 resulting in a total of 236,356. Adolescents don’t just want to look “regular” though, but to be beyond that. Per a 2009 report, the goal of teens getting plastic surgery is not just to look normal but, “to look better than normal,”(Gilbert 14). Based on studies, it’s clear that teenagers will continue to look to the media to decide their self-perception. As been noted, the media plays a huge role in influencing self-perception. Many Americans want to look young, beautiful and to be accepted into the crowd. So long as the media is allowed to dictate what’s beautiful and what isn’t, people will compare themselves to said standards and develop a desire to change accordingly.

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