2008 Woodie Awards
Editor's Column: The rapid growth of cosmetic surgery has tragic implications
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Opinion
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Something grossly unregulated has taken over our generation. It's not guns. It's not drugs. It's cosmetic surgery.
In a society where we are surrounded with diet versions of almost every product found in the grocery store, it's not very surprising that we are finding more and more teens and young adults toying with cosmetic surgery. Certainly, in some cases it is extremely beneficial that a child or young adult undergo cosmetic surgery for medical reasons; however, the trend that we are seeing most recently is a move towards vanity. Teenagers are receiving procedures such as breast augmentation as graduation and birthday presents.
While cosmetic reconstructions and implant surgery have their share of medical complications, fat removal surgeries are most perilous for our generation. Whereas liposuction has not necessarily drawn a huge young crowd of consumers because of the intensity of the procedure, a newer technology of fat dissolvers has emerged in the market.
Fat dissolvers, a relatively new cosmetic technology that involves injecting chemicals into fat tissue in order to make it dissolve, have been gaining popularity steadily.
The science seems to be spreading to the general public faster than regulations can keep up with it, making fat dissolvers extremely dangerous procedures to undergo. According to Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman Karen Riley, the drugs used to dissolve fat cells are "unapproved . . . for unapproved uses," and safety is not something that can be guaranteed. Many medical professionals and industry regulators have tried to make the public aware of the fact that these drugs have not been subject to enough testing and research to deem safe and have speculated that such drugs may lead to later complications such as heart disease, since they are unsure if the drugs actually dissolve fat cells, or simply move them around.
This uncertainty is not stopping patients from undergoing the procedure. The process is common in the Midwest, and still becoming increasingly popular. As we see a pattern of other cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty and breast augmentation becoming more popular with younger age groups, it's hard not to worry about the implications this has for the younger patients that are sure to come.
Perhaps what we need to consider is the image that our media is projecting to our younger generations on a daily basis. For a generation that is exposed to television, print, and online advertising in new and subtler ways each day, we have a lot to worry about. The perfect women and men who are portrayed as media royalty may not be the direct cause of vanity, eating disorders, and ultimately, plastic surgery; however, they are certainly an underlying risk factor. Our society has a preference for beauty; the question is: How do we keep from becoming obsessed with it?
In a society where we are surrounded with diet versions of almost every product found in the grocery store, it's not very surprising that we are finding more and more teens and young adults toying with cosmetic surgery. Certainly, in some cases it is extremely beneficial that a child or young adult undergo cosmetic surgery for medical reasons; however, the trend that we are seeing most recently is a move towards vanity. Teenagers are receiving procedures such as breast augmentation as graduation and birthday presents.
While cosmetic reconstructions and implant surgery have their share of medical complications, fat removal surgeries are most perilous for our generation. Whereas liposuction has not necessarily drawn a huge young crowd of consumers because of the intensity of the procedure, a newer technology of fat dissolvers has emerged in the market.
Fat dissolvers, a relatively new cosmetic technology that involves injecting chemicals into fat tissue in order to make it dissolve, have been gaining popularity steadily.
The science seems to be spreading to the general public faster than regulations can keep up with it, making fat dissolvers extremely dangerous procedures to undergo. According to Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman Karen Riley, the drugs used to dissolve fat cells are "unapproved . . . for unapproved uses," and safety is not something that can be guaranteed. Many medical professionals and industry regulators have tried to make the public aware of the fact that these drugs have not been subject to enough testing and research to deem safe and have speculated that such drugs may lead to later complications such as heart disease, since they are unsure if the drugs actually dissolve fat cells, or simply move them around.
This uncertainty is not stopping patients from undergoing the procedure. The process is common in the Midwest, and still becoming increasingly popular. As we see a pattern of other cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty and breast augmentation becoming more popular with younger age groups, it's hard not to worry about the implications this has for the younger patients that are sure to come.
Perhaps what we need to consider is the image that our media is projecting to our younger generations on a daily basis. For a generation that is exposed to television, print, and online advertising in new and subtler ways each day, we have a lot to worry about. The perfect women and men who are portrayed as media royalty may not be the direct cause of vanity, eating disorders, and ultimately, plastic surgery; however, they are certainly an underlying risk factor. Our society has a preference for beauty; the question is: How do we keep from becoming obsessed with it?
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