Affair With The knife

So how much store do we set by looks? A prudent and unrealistic answer would be — none.

But can we really say that looks have no influence on us? Or that physical appearance does not affect our judgment and behaviour? Despite the increasingly apparent fact that what is only skin-deep cannot be relied upon, human instinct, culture, values and social learning predispose us towards a bias to judge books by their covers.

How happy we are with the way we look has a lot to do with other people’s notions and ideals, and the way things are going, this mass thinking isn’t about to change anytime soon. In fact, with the advent of science, technology and awareness, the prevalent dissatisfaction of people with their physical appearance is only growing. An idea of how vast and bottomless the pool of vanity is can be gauged from the list of procedures there are out there that aim to fix any part of the body that displeases the client.

Where money is not an issue, but the need to physically conform to a set ideal of beauty is important socially, and at times for employment and other reasons, the services that can be availed are endless.

With local as well as international media promoting extreme makeovers and their short-term ‘amazing’ results, more and more people today believe that going under the knife is safe and easy.

Take, for example, the large minorities settled in developed countries like the US and Canada. The more financially secure they are, the more uncomfortable they become with their physical differences from the locals. This has given rise to a huge number of ethnic-specific procedures within the multi-billion dollar plastic surgery industry — and why not?

Statistically, the number of plastic surgeries performed on minorities has doubled in number in the past five years. More importantly, these include procedures that aim to erase ethnicity such as blepharoplasty, which changes the shape of the eyes by adding a crease to the upper lid, calf reshaping and leg lengthening for perfect ‘long legs’ and nose remodelling for narrower and more pointed noses. All these are more popular procedures among the Chinese and Koreans.

The fact that we live in a health-conscious society is another factor influencing the growth of aesthetic enhancement. Some consider it a natural human drive that has just been given a scientific form. We are also aware that in today’s competitive world it is now more important than ever to make a good impression. When older people get passed over during job interviews or when younger fresher faces get all the promotions, cosmetic help becomes a tool for financial and social survival. This is evident by the type of procedures, surgical or otherwise, that are most popular in the West.

Chart toppers include face lifts, lid surgery to remove excess fat, which is sign of ageing and the evergreen Botox. Determined to fulfil their potential, men also opt for the very same popular procedures.

Asia, too, is not far behind. It is now the world’s second largest plastic surgery hub, with India leading. Apart from surgeries, the cosmetics industry here is booming too, giving both males and females the hope of looking like they have never looked before.

Sadly, these ‘modern’ trends reflect a mentality that hasn’t changed for centuries. Coloured contact lenses, salons boasting of whitening facials and the craze for blonde streaks show that we have neither been nor shall ever be comfortable in our own skins.

Interestingly, in parts of the world where women are required by religion or culture to cover everything but the face, cosmetic enhancement flourishes even more as these women seek to make the only bit visible to the world as attractive as possible. Coloured lenses, face-lifts and nose jobs are widely popular in the Middle East and Iran.

Its ironic that for several years now, white skin is not considered a prerequisite for beauty in the West. Call it changing fashion, liberalism or better understanding of what ‘attractive’ really means, but it proves how relative the concept of beauty is. In fact, tanned or bronze skin is the new ‘in thing’ as it signifies lots of outdoor fun and beach-partying. Similarly, the fascination with blonde hair is dying out too, as people realise that healthy well-groomed hair in any colour can look flattering.

These interventions also carry their own risks. No surgery is 100 per cent safe and complications may develop in the most basic of surgeries resulting in excessive bleeding, infections and scarring. A recent example is the death of rapper Kanye West’s mother who went in for multiple cosmetic surgeries.

However, where advances in technology have made such procedures possible, refinement in technique and further advances will undoubtedly minimise risks and prevent complications. As for changing attitudes, if the ends justify the means, there is no reason why people will shun what is available to them and settle for less, especially when they see others around them doing better just because they look better. It is no more survival of the fittest, but the survival of the prettiest.