plastic surgery--yay or nay?

[samuraiguppy]

one oof my lady friends told me she is saving up for her own personal "extreme makeover"

she is a quite nice looking lady--so as a man I am stumped.

Ladies--what is the reasoning behind this type of thing? Do men make women feel insecure about their looks?

[dgibby]

1. Not me!

My wrinkles have wrinkles, my cellulite has it's own zipcode, I'm over 40(can't even see it in the rearview mirror), so gravity won years ago, 'cause after 40, it's just sag and bag. Having said all that, I'm a retired RN, and would NEVER, in a gadzillion years, have any type of elective surgery. I've seen too many horror stories.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Stories like these?

http://www.awfulplasticsurgery.com/

[SmokingJacket]

3. Terrible, terrible idea!

I understand plastic surgery if a person has a weird, distracting flaw to their appearance. But I've never seen an Extreme Makeover that looked good long term.

Other women are what make women feel bad, not men! Seriesly -- my husband's always urging me to eat more desserts. Women can be really harsh to each other.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. no we women are all crazy, chasing a non existent ideal

it can all be boiled down to bat shit insanity

as opposed to a generalized social issue that worships youth, skinniness and fifty years old who could pass for 32

[samuraiguppy]

5. OK women here seem to be against it

(I neither condemn nor condone it--had never really thought about it before--men are a little less self conscious maybe?)

How do you feel about women who have plastic surgery? ie--a Cindy McCain--who looks pretty good--but is obviously very insecure...

[EFerrari]

7. How is that obvious to you?

[samuraiguppy]

9. to me Cindy is obviously insecure to have hooked up with

the much older and quite personality challenged McJerk.

As a younger, wealthy, good-looking woman--she should have had much better options--why did she sell herself so short?

And then he neglected her so much she had to turn to drugs--but still stays and plays the adoring wifey?

so--I think she is insecure.

(I neither condemn nor condone plastic surgery. Thinking about it more--it may often be a good thing--in that it could enhance self esteem--if someone has a feature that they are really self conscious about and they are able to change it so that they are no longer self conscious....)

[EFerrari]

18. The thing is, the match had a lot in it for her politcally

and, do we know she "turned to drugs" after she married McBush?

They both seem pretty screwy to me but, that's just mo. I don't know. I've seen women get work done for a lot of reasons, some of them surely out of some kind insecurity but just as often, out of wanting to do something nice for themselves. :shrug:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

25. Cindy had a real "Daddy" thing,

so her hooking up with a much older man, like McPOW, wasn't surprising. You read about her father, her childhood with him, and you understand a whole lot - including her insecurity about her looks.

She'll keep nipping and tucking and Botoxing so that she can always look in the mirror and see "Daddy's little girl."

You're absolutely right - she's all about insecurity. That also plays into her addiction to opiates.

[EFerrari]

6. If it's safe, I'm all for it. Why not?

Some of the stuff we do is just for us, anyway.

[Rising Phoenix]

8. I'm having surgery next month

breast reduction......if I had the money I'd do my chin.......no one else can understand it.......but I hate my chin

[samuraiguppy]

10. I hope your surgery goes well.

[Rising Phoenix]

11. thank you

there will be pics

[samuraiguppy]

12. whoo hoo!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

posted in the lounge?

[Rising Phoenix]

16. with in reason, of course...,...

dirty birdy

[Inchworm]

14. May all go well

:hug:

[Rising Phoenix]

17. thanks inchy!

[GreenPartyVoter]

22. Good luck!

[Connonym]

37. I did that and it was a great decision

I hope you are as pleased with your results as I have been. A couple bits of advice from one who has been there -- A) expect to freak out a bit when you see the sutures/staples because there are a bazillion BUT keep in mind that after you have healed some the scars will barely be obvious B) you'll be pretty sore for a while so make sure you get good pain meds and if you live alone have someone check in on you regularly and finally C) expect that for the rest of your life men will say to you "why'd you go and do THAT?" :eyes:

Good luck :hug:

[LeftyMom]

13. Reconstructive or vanity?

I was born with a birth defect that needed to be corrected (in my case for functional reasons, but frequently that counts as plastic surgery) so obviously I know that some people need a problem caused by birth or later accident corrected, and there's a huge difference between that and deciding that you hate your nose or want bigger tits.

[samuraiguppy]

15. hmm good question--

my friend is doing it purely for enhancement. But she doesn't have any features she hates--she just wants to be better---ie--she is getting cheekbone implants for higher cheekbones (this will be hardly noticeable), fuller lips, some kind of dimple in her chin---just purely changes for the hell of it.

As a man I was stumped as to how to respond--I told her she looked great to me--then I really didn't know what else to say...

I had this type of thing in mind when I was wondering how other women would view this.

[LeftyMom]

19. It sounds like everything she wants can be done with skilled application of makeup

Except maybe the dimple.

I wouldn't be surprised if she's displeased with her results. Lip injections tend to look BAD from what I've seen. And if she's already got somewhat prominent cheekbones, she could make them look more prominent with makeup- a little lowlighting underneath, and a tiny bit of a lighter color on the cheekbone to catch the light.

If she were my friend, I'd suggest makeup lessons with a professional artist before doing the surgery.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

26. When I was hospitalized for orthopedic surgery -

broken femur - I had a roommate who was having her second tummy tuck, first chin lift, and first eye job.

I gotta tell you, she was so sick and in so much pain afterward, I had to wonder how any woman could put herself through this voluntarily. It's a self-loathing kind of thing that would drive women to put themselves into this situation. She was sick as a dog, and her pain was, I think, even worse than mine, and mine was unbelievable.

I think women who do this to themselves are simply mutilating themselves and betraying a deeper-seated pathology. Something not right.

[harmonicon]

31. yeah, I don't think that sort of thing counts for these purposes, as I read it

When we were teenagers, my sister and I were in a car crash where she got pretty banged up (I walked away with nothing worse than some bad bruising), and she had plastic surgery to fix some cuts/scars on her face, but I don't really think that sort of thing counts as "plastic surgery" as it's usually discussed.

[LeftyMom]

32. That was the point I was trying to make, that that sort of thing is plastic surgery too.

As is facial reconstruction for kids with cleft lip/palate, breast reconstruction after mastectomy, etc. Plastic surgery is a tool, and like any other it can be misused, overused, used where another tool would suffice, etc. But that doesn't make it bad in itself.

[harmonicon]

34. of course it's not inherently bad

it's just that "plastic surgery" usually means things like breast enlargements and nose jobs and things when used in conversation.

[undeterred]

20. That depends entirely what it is.

There are some things that can be uncomfortable for someone that another person might not know about and plastic surgery will change that- like breast reduction or even a nose surgery that helps you breathe better.

I had the latter and I got a better nose out of it. When I went for consultation I saw 2 doctors - one was board certified in plastic surgery and he had plans for my whole face. I didn't go back to that guy. They look at a woman and see $$$$$

But other times women are just too self-critical.

[Tikki]

21. I had my nose corrected...there was a reason besides....

vanity. I have never regretted it.


Tikki

[undeterred]

24. Me neither.

I can breathe better and I got a better, more nondescript nose. It wasn't fun, but it was worth it. And my insurance covered it 100%.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

23. Some people are reasonable, some are unrealistic.

I would have liposuction because of my endocrine/metabolic problems.

[grannylib]

27. I go back and forth. If money were no object, I'd consider it...

I'm not into fake boobage, but I'd take a little gravity counter-action. And a little lipo and a tummy tuck. I'm not overwieight anymore but I used to be and I have some 'leftovers' I'd love to get rid of. Nothing like Discovery Health Channel-worthy, but enough to ruin (for me) the line of some clothing. It's pure vanity, and I know there are risks, but geez. For ONCE in my life I wouldn't mind my outer me looking as good as my inner me feels!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

36. I've had the tummy tuck.

That was almost 15 years ago. I gained back the weight in a different place (all the way around the base of my ribs, instead of a roll below the waist).

I need lipo there now.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

28. Different strokes for different folks...

I've always been a proponent of letting life happen to me, though I must confess that I occasionally color my hair. If I was disfigured by some mishap, I'd probably change my mind.

[wickerwoman]

29. If you have the money and it makes you feel better, why not?

I can't see spending my own money on it, but I've seen people who are really insecure about their looks get plastic surgery and feel more confident at least for a while. I'd rather spend the money trekking in Nepal where nobody cares what I look like. To each his own.

[Fleshdancer]

30. It's not my gig, but to each their own

I do find myself feeling sad for the plastic surgery addicts though.

[Richardo]

33. Nay

Humans are all naturally fantastic in their own way.

[lightningandsnow]

35. Not my thing.

I have a needle/hospital/medical phobia.

I don't want any surgeries I don't need, period.

That, and I'm mostly happy with myself the way I am.

[patomime]

38. I'm too damn sexy...

to do that. So is every other woman I meet. IMHO, unless someone needs plastic surgery for some type of injury or birth defect that impedes their life, they don't need it.

Most women are secure enough to know this.

Some are not.

I don't think men make women feel insecure about looks, if they do, forget about 'em. You don't need that type of man in your life.

[FloridaJudy]

39. If I had the money I'd do it

Just to loose the double chin and the bags under my eyes. I don't much care for the full face-lift look - most women who do that wind up looking perpetually surprised. And as for botox: forget it. "Excuse me? You want to inject me with the world's deadliest poison? So that it will freeze my facial muscles? To make me look younger? And you want me to pay you a gazillion bucks for it? I don't think so!"

I don't mind the wrinkles: I earned every single one. I just don't much care for the bloodhound look.

[moriah]

40. I'd love to get an "extreme makeover"....

... to get new teeth and to get rid of the loose skin I have.

But I'm waiting until, at the very least, I'm too old to have kids.

Losing 75 lbs is great for your health, but I think I was more physically attractive fat.

[dropkickpa]

41. I don't care what other women do

It is their right to make choices about what they do with their bodies.

But the minute I am 100% certain to be done having kids, I'm getting a breast reduction and lift. I WILL be perky at some point of my life gawddammit!!!

[Orrex]

42. Maybe you could get Indigo Boobs

I don't know what they might be, but I really wanted to type "Indigo Boobs," and this seemed like a good opportunity.

[dropkickpa]

43. I totally want indigo boobs

[WinkyDink]

44. Hey, if she wants to risk infections, screw-ups, or death, it's her prerogative!

[MissMillie]

45. I have no problem w/ anybody who decides a nip or tuck is what they want

I have problems w/ anyone (who is not severely disfigured) who feels they need an "extreme makeover".


My guess is that they suffer from some sort of lack of self-esteem, and that all the surgery in the world won't help.