Comments by Shu Yan
I see the trend that more and more teenagers are getting plastic surgery. Reasons are to boost self-esteem and avoid being bullied by peers. Even their parents support this.
Then there is the trend of sex-change operation that is prolific especially in Thailand. Families of such patients generally support them as long as they feel better and happier after the operation.
Variety shows in the West such as Nip/Tuck show the procedual and outcomes of the operations. In this way, people become more familiarized with these plastic surgeries and hence there is the increase in acceptance towards plastic surgery in society. However, as you said, these shows almost always only show the good side of the surgeries, how people gain confidence and have their lives changed for the better after the surgery. Teens, especially, will be easily misled that the surgery will certainly solve their problems, be it lack of self-esteem or being bullied.
I think that parents and the education system should educate the kids to change their inner beauty first rather than resorting to a solution under the knives. They should put more emphasis on trying to change the teens way of thinking first, rather than to encourage them to go for plastic surgery. I believe that most people are born beautiful in their own ways. All they need to do is to learn how to emphasize their natural beauty to help them gain more confidence.
Moreover, I think it is inherently wrong that the victims of bullying should go for operation as it is a sign of surrendering to the bullies. This does not solve the root of the problem. Even if they operated, the bullies will see that they have gone for operation and may use this to bully them. Hence they will still be bullied, unless they change school or something.
It is also problematic that teen girls’ parents approve of them having breast implants at such young age. They have not finished puberty yet. Even if the implants are so-called expandable, would it really not affect their growth in any way? Why do they place so much importance in the size of their breast? They need to be taught to reorder their priorities to things like building a strong individual identity rather then trying to follow their peers blindly. So what if they have big breasts? If your peers accept you for your boobs, isn’t it a bit too superficial? They are not fit to be your friends for life, so why bother?
In the past, we are taught that everyone is beautiful. Unless there is something seriously wrong about your appearance and seriously affect your life, I don’t see the need to go under the knife. I think it is a problem that people resort to plastic surgery as a solution seemingly easily. Even if they say that plastic surgery is their last resort, have they really considered other options before they jump to this “solution”?
- Shu YanÂ
