What is the limit of cosmetic surgery?

[Wadaad]

I know Michael Jackson comes to mind when someone talks about drastic surgery, but since his case is quite freakish lets concentrate on normal plastic surgery procedures.

1) Is plastic surgery able to transform someone from one race to another?


2) in the future what forms of cosmetic surgery do you think will be most prevalent

3) how about trends? present ones include Asiatic women surgically removing epicanthic fold from their eyes, or Iranian women surgically removing the hook from their nose bridges to make their noses straighter, what other trends do you see?

[nockwasright]

Imo the beauty ideal is more or less common to all humans (we all like the same things) and not racially identified (such things are not found in one race alone), so plastic surgery is going to transform people in "raceless beauties".

E.g. a model can be tall, slim and with a compact butt as a Somali, have a straight forehead, upturned nose and be blonde as a Norwegian, fat lips as a Congolese, big eyes as a Syrian, high cheekbones as a Cherokee, and big boobs as a Lebanese.

Very beautiful peole look all the same and it's even hard to tell their race.

[CooCooCachoo]

You can never change your race. ...That's why racism is so frustrating.

In terms of mimicking another ethnicities appearance, there are limits. Bone structure plays a large part in looks. And to my knowledge they haven't even started to try an alter that.

I'm not sure why anyone would be motivated to do so. ...And the thought is rather frightening.

[zemelmete]

I think it isn't possible to change many things. For example it isn't possible to make cheekbones larger or smaller, make head rounder or more oval etc.

[yigal]

Im sure u CAN make cheekbones larger and smaller the head thing is prolly true tho

[MC anunnaki]

Yeah, making cheekbones look larger and more high up is rather common using some form of pads. Chin inplants are also possible for people who have weak chins.

[Curious6]

Some girls can truly improve their looks when using cosmetic surgery, and if it makes them feel better, why not?

[Batrus]

I've seen some shows about it and they don't seem to change that much after the surgery. Some people i've seen getting uglier, although i guess estetic is in the eye of the beholder.

[aroundtheworld]

coocoocachoo said:

You can never change your race. ...That's why racism is so frustrating.

In terms of mimicking another ethnicities appearance, there are limits. Bone structure plays a large part in looks. And to my knowledge they haven't even started to try an alter that.

I'm not sure why anyone would be motivated to do so. ...And the thought is rather frightening.

They are currently altering bone structures in test subjects now.

They are able to break and re-shape the jaw and the orbits and maxillofacial area.

They go a lot further than many realize.

Lot of this type of stuff was tested on accident victims.

now it's being tested on normal, healthy people.

[catwoman]

If you're interested in what good plastic surgery can do for one's appearance check out www.cindyjackson.com

Here he charts her transformation:



this one's interesting, too:
www.cindyjackson.com/my_cosmetic_surgery2.php

[Matthew]

There are many people that are beautiful as they are, yet they choose to butcher their looks. To try and be the same as an ideal which is only unrealistic, or achieved by a few. Why should an already beautiful person get implants, or any surgery done?

[Hairless]

nockwasright said:

Imo the beauty ideal is more or less common to all humans (we all like the same things) and not racially identified (such things are not found in one race alone), so plastic surgery is going to transform people in "raceless beauties".

E.g. a model can be tall, slim and with a compact butt as a Somali, have a straight forehead, upturned nose and be blonde as a Norwegian, fat lips as a Congolese, big eyes as a Syrian, high cheekbones as a Cherokee, and big boobs as a Lebanese.

Very beautiful peole look all the same and it's even hard to tell their race.

That's an interesting point (although the Cherokee example is a little off as they were not known for the high cheekbones ) There are a lot of "attractive" features that transcend race and culture to a degree.


In general:

On one hand I like the idea that people can transform themselves, but it seems so often rooted in self-hatred or general unhappiness. It is extremely common to remove the epicanthic fold among Japanese women where I live, and I also know many people who have had things like liposuction or butt lifts. In the latter cases I think it is just laziness because good diet and exercise would be a better solution. Then I read some articles about penis enlargement surgeries, where men end up getting mutilated trying to add an inch or two.
Or people having bones broken and lying in traction for months to gain a few inches of height.

I even saw an ad in Los Angeles for "vaginal rejuvenation" surgery, which sounds truly horrific. Also, "muscle implants" to make people's biceps, chest or calves look more muscular. All of these things I find repulsive because there are authentic ways of accomplishing the transformation. Personally, I work out as much for my health and feeling of well-being as for appearance, but if I did gain fat or feel some muscle was too small I would put in the work to do it naturally.

I find "imperfections" to be attractive. Unless someone is truly deformed (like cleft palate or losig a breast to cancer) I have to wonder if they would not be better off spending that money doing some soul searching or even counseling to learn to have more self-confidence.

When I see that people have bought fake testicles for their dogs so the dog won't feel emascuated I really have to wonder who is the one having insecurities ;D

[osservatore]

I also find little imperfections to be higly attractive, more than a standardized beauty.
Dicto for ethnic characteristics diverging from the ideal of beauty conveyd and supported by media, movie and fashion industry etc.

I see nothing wrong in epicanthic folds or bridged noses.

It also true, on the other hand, the attractive people of all the phenotypes seem to me more similar each other and less "extreme" in their characteristics.
But it's the little particular, the ethnic look or the slight imperfection that misses in "regular beauties" that make someone really attractive to me, and not simply "beautiful".

I also believe that many characteristic considered to be "beautiful" had nothing to do with real attractiveness in an istinctual sense, and are more a cultural trait.

I can't see, e.g., why blondes are considered so attractive in Italy- I mean, exactly what is inherently beautiful in being blond instead of brunet?

[zemelmete]

anunnaki said:

Yeah, making cheekbones look larger and more high up is rather common using some form of pads. Chin inplants are also possible for people who have weak chins.

But I don't think that is possible to make big cheekbones smaller. It would mean to peel bones on the face. Too horrible...brrrrrrrr

[zemelmete]

If to speak about bone peeling, I had read somewhere that many chinese ladies make their legs longer, going to surgeonist, who is peeling them and between bones putting some detail, which makes them longer.