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Axia College UOPCosmetic Surgery: Worth the Risk?

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In today's society the picture of beauty is a rail thin super model with the body of a goddess posted on billboards all around the world. Children are brought up playing with Barbie dolls withthe body measurements of would be 39, 18, 38. Because of these pictures and other figures of beauties projected all over, a person is convinced to believe that to be beautiful and happy, onemust look like these images. To most, the easiest way to achieve this is my having cosmeticsurgery performed. With the change of times, also has come the advancement of medical procedures, yet how safe can a person be who is having cosmetic surgery performed on their body. No matter how good the technological advancements may be, there is always the risk of not only the surgery resulting in unwanted outcomes, but in some cases even death.Society today has brain washed not only today's women, but also the men to believe that inorder for a person to look beautiful they must look like the images seen on television, in moviesand on the cover of magazines. These images portray grotesquely thin women and muscular menwith the infamous six-pack abs. The Hollywood figures that are so famous for their looks and bodies also encourage the belief that thin is beautiful. These images are plastered all over billboards, television show and commercials and magazine advertisements. With all these visionsof beauty seen everywhere in a person's every day life, a person feels compelled to look just likethose images.Busy lifestyles of many people keep most of exercising daily in order to receive the fit andtrim bodies to look beautiful. This then leads many to resort to cosmetic surgery. This however,can be a dangerous choice. Many fatalities have been reported as a result of surgical procedures.One report stated that over an 18-month period, 69 fatal outcomes of surgery were reported.(Foreman, 2) Yet, many who are looking into having a surgical procedure performed do not takethis risk into account.

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Although the technological advancements of today may seem to have improved the results of cosmetic surgery today, more complications can also arise from improper training of the surgeon.(Hilton) Many "discount" price plastic surgeons that claim to offer professional service for a low price have begun to show up all over the country. Most of these doctors not even properly trainedto perform such drastic cosmetic surgeries. A doctor can attend a seminar at a hotel and in a fewhours, learn how to perform liposuction. (Davis)With the increase of untrained surgeons performing these procedures, the risk of death andimproper results also increases greatly. Low-income people that are attracted to the visions of beauty on the magazines are caught in the lure of these "fake" surgeons. These doctors promise perfect results at half the price of experienced surgeons. Some of these doctors may even produce fake credentials, such as fake PhDs, for customers to view. Customers see these andwithout doing any research on the doctor, pay the money for the surgery to be performed. Anydoctor can perform procedures such as liposuction; even dentists have been doing it. (Davis)Many fatalities of cosmetic surgeries in recent years have been as a result of unlicensed doctors performing highly technical surgeries. "It's especially risky if it's done in a doctor's office, if thedoctor is not properly trained and certified..." (Foreman, 1)A current issue in Miami, Florida involves a plastic surgery "doctor" named ReinaldoSilvestre who is believed to have fled the country as a result of the charges of aggravated batteryand practicing medicine without a license. Silvestre, practicing out of a small office, is accusedof using a kitchen-type spatula to forcefemalebreast implants in to a male bodybuilder's chest.In two other surgeries, Silvestre performed breast augmentation on two females that resulted inthe deformation of both women's chests. (Qureshi, 1-3)