Reasons Why the Popularity of Cosmetic Surgery is Still on the Rise

Not too long ago, you can't talk about plastic surgery and not get people frowning at you like you are some criminal.

10:57 11 March 2020

Unless the type of surgery you are doing was to save your life, no one is interested. This leads to people who undergo plastic surgery to sneak out and avoid mentioning them to anyone who asks. These days, things are completely different. The supposed stigma associated with doing plastic surgery is long gone; everyone is in on plastic surgery, including those who don’t have the funds to actually go through one.

According to the report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), about 18 million people went through plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures in the US alone in 2018. Since the early 2014s, cosmetic surgical procedures have been on the increase. So what’s responsible for the sudden surge in the request for plastic surgery? What changed?

Reasons why the popularity of cosmetic surgery is still on the rise, despite the notable risks, can be traced to the following:

1. Improvements in Technology

Before now, most cosmetic procedures were intensive and invasive in nature, taking several hours. These days, with technical innovations and advancements in knowledge, the same procedures are now less invasive and now commonplace. Procedures such as fillers and Botox, which were rare and can only be done by a few cosmetic surgeons, are now commonplace and can be done in a matter of minutes. Thanks to technology, plastic surgery which used to be very expensive and very dangerous is no longer as dangerous as it used to be neither is it that expensive anymore. According to the DRG Plastic Surgery team, surgeons now have access to better technology and equipment which makes their work a lot easier. These reasons have made it easy for people to get over the fears that surround cosmetic procedures. With more people going in and coming out looking good with no side effects, cosmetic procedures keep gaining ground as it concerns popularity.

2. Increased Spread of Materialistic Values

These days, there is an increased materialism spread on TV. It is pretty much like if I can get a pointed nose, why do I have to carry around a flat nose? So people are no longer settling for what is natural, they want what they feel is better. With increased materialism, people just want to be at their best, look their best at whatever cost possible, even if it means cutting them open.

3. Potential Career Boosts

A number of people that have been asked why they opted for cosmetic surgical procedures confessed that the reason is for a potential career boost. They believe that if they look good, they could get a good job, rise to managerial levels and stay competitive in their jobs. It is seen as a worthy investment in their careers. Most of these subjects have had to source for surgical funding to be able to carry out these procedures. A surgeon in Michigan disclosed that one in every six of his patients borrows money to fund their surgical procedures.

4. Self Esteem

A good number of people go for cosmetic surgical procedures because they feel that it will help boost their self-esteem. They have a perception that they don’t look perfect and this affects how they esteem themselves in the public. Many women, just to get the attention of their spouses believe going for tummy tucks and breast enlargements will increase their appeal and make their spouses fall in love with them again. While there is nothing really wrong about going for a procedure to look good, but the crux of the matter, when properly checked, is self-esteem issues.

Research conducted recently to understand what the motivating factors for opting for a surgical procedure are shows that women who rated themselves with low self-esteem, low life satisfaction and low attractiveness with high exposure to the media were more likely to go through a surgical cosmetic procedure.

5. TV/Media

Out of all the reasons why the popularity of cosmetic surgery is still on the rise, media exposure seems to be a leading factor. Daily, we see celebrities showing off their new boobs, buttocks, nose and flat tummies on the spotlights. These, while they are not actually telling anyone to go for plastic surgery, are passively sending signals to admirers and fans all over the world. Nowadays, we even have people who want to go through surgery to look like their favorite celebrity.

So are you considering a cosmetic surgical procedure? Whatever your reasons are, you can be sure that technological advancements have made it safer now. But should you go to the extreme of borrowing to fund your procedure? Well, that’s a decision you will have to come by yourself, but whatever you decide, you should know that you deserve to look as good as you want and if that is going to come through a procedure, then go for it.