Bentivegna Tia BentivegnaMs. GardnerEnglish 10, Period 211 May 2015Plastic Surgery: Constructive or Corruptive? Imagine growing up in a neighborhood filled with young, vibrant children that are always outside in the sun, playing games with each other, having picnics with each other, and spending countless, memorable hours with each other. One of the children that lives in this active and friendly neighborhood is a young boy; however, he rarely leaves his house. Many parents are concerned; why does this young boy refuse to spend time with his companions across the street? Why does this young boy choose to shut himself away from the outside world and strip himself of a pleasurable childhood? Genetics. The young boy was born with a cleft lip, and his self-esteem is so incredibly low that he wishes to hide away from all the other children in the neighborhood. One can help this poor young boy grow up in happiness, and not embarrassment, with a simple procedure: plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is the process of reconstructing or repairing parts of the body. The process is primarily undergone by the transfer of tissue, either for the treatment of injury or for cosmetic reasons. Many people in society believe that plastic surgery is a negative procedure as it may contradict the beliefs and practices preached by many people in that one should be satisfied with their appearance and feel beautiful in ones skin, naturally. Conversely, one cannot come anywhere near feeling content and satisfied with their outer appearance if they were born with a deformity. In a similar instance, it is exceedingly difficult for one woman who has survived breast cancer, yet she had to remove her breasts in the process, to feel like herself once again if she is constantly judged for simply getting breast implants. One should not need to receive societys stamp of approval for investing in a reconstructing surgery for a cleft lip or a breast implantation. This procedure is therefore positiveand productiveas it permits one to build ones self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-gratitude through the acquirement of a new or enhanced body part. Plastic surgery should not only be allowed, but also be supported because it is ethical, life changing, and constructive.Initially, many people would oppose of plastic surgery because they believe that the consumers are simply conforming to societys expectations. For example, Camille Sweeney of the New York Times states that plastic surgery is often used as a surgery in which one can boost ones self-esteem and look normal, according to societys standards (qtd. in Sweeney). While there may be an acute amount of people who obtain plastic surgery simply to appear more normal, the majority of the consumers for this procedure are attaining it either for personal or for medical reasons. Therefore, Sweeneys argument is a mere speculation, or standardization of plastic surgerys consumers. Additionally, research reveals that the rise in plastic surgerynearly 16 million procedures were performed in 2007has also led to a rise in the consumer backlash (Scharnberg). Consumer backlash refers to peoples disappointment with the outcome of their surgery and their desires to either change or, in some way, take back what they had originally paid for. Even though there may have been a rise in the amount of people who were disenchanted with their new appearance, these people often did not completely ponder the possible outcomes of the operation ahead of time. The plurality of people apart of the consumer backlash also may have simply rushed into the surgery. Thus, Kirsten Scharnbergs, a writer for the Chicago Tribune, argument was another standardization of plastic surgerys consumers as it does not fully account for each and every person acquiring plastic surgerys response, merely the people who were disgruntled with their purchase. To summarize, opposers of plastic surgery believe that it is forcing young people, primarily women, to conform to societys beliefs and portrayal of beauty through magazines, television shows, and movies. These opposers have inferred that nearly all of the plastic surgeries that have recently been performed are too leading to the rise in consumer backlash. Indeed, many might believe that plastic surgery is an out or shortcut to better self-esteem. However, plastic surgery should not be looked at as a way for a woman to improve the slope of her nose because it is used for a variety of other reasons, including reconstructing ones cleft lip, ones breast, scar revision, and even tumor removal, all in effective manners.Admittedly, plastic surgery may occasionally act as a vice for some women who want to improve their outer appearance; nevertheless, when one is able to afford this surgery, they should be allowed to obtain it. For instance, many women who are in Hollywood and constantly in the limelight of pop culture and society today are expected to look undeniably beautiful every day (Confessions of a Hollywood Plastic Surgeon). Likewise, these womenand men as wellwill receive plastic surgery in order to maintain their career and popular image (Confessions of a Hollywood Plastic Surgeon). If a celebrity is consistently being critiqued on a factor of his or her body that he or she has always had insecurities with, they should not be judged for trying to correct it. Hence, plastic surgery has only become popular in the last fifteen years as celebrities are projected and advertised on nearly every commercial or social media image (Kita). Over the past couple of years, advancements in this field have also been considered to lead to the recent growth in popularity for the body-altering operation (Reath). Based on this research, plastic surgery is a growing medical practice that has been used not only to improve ones imperfections, but also to help one in ones career. For women in Hollywoodfamous figuresand other women who can simply afford this procedure, the results are a greater self-esteem and a more positive attitude towards themselves and others. If plastic surgery can do more than merely change the slope of ones nose or tighten up ones other facial features, then society should not attempt to ban this procedure and decrease accessibility for people trying to acquire it. Furthermore, research displays that the people who have received plastic surgery have had increased self-esteem and self-confidence. To illustrate, according to Leo R. McCafferty, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, studies reveal that patients have had significant and sustained improvements in body image after cosmetic plastic surgery (McCafferty). In addition, many women that are getting plastic surgery are not purchasing it simply because of societys expectations, but because they desire to make themselves feel better. They not only want to improve their outer appearance, but they also want to improve their inner thoughts regarding their appearance (Farrell). Physical, mental, and psychological, the long term effects of plastic surgery can change ones life because once people can look at themselves highly and give themselves respect, they can in turn look at other people highly and give others respect. Both men and women are also aware of the fact that plastic surgery will never necessarily make them look younger, it simply makes them look better; many opposers stereotype plastic surgery consumers into older people desiring to look as though they are twenty, which is wrong (Carmichael). Research exemplifies the positive outcomes of plastic surgery regarding the renovation of ones self-esteem and thoughts involving ones body image. As a result, it should be encouraged to those who tend to feel bad about themselves and do not maintain a high level of confidence. These people can learn to feel better about themselves and improve their mental images of their bodies as they are taking the initiative to eliminate, to alter, or to increase a part of their body that they are insecure about. Plastic surgery ultimately should be both allowed and encouraged because it is a constructive process. In particular, many people that oppose plastic surgery are not aware of the actual reconstructive purpose of this procedure (14.6 Million Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures Performed in 2012). Plastic surgery is not solely performed to eliminate ones love handles, to shrink ones buttocks, or to hide ones wrinkles. It is also performed to help revive or reconstruct ones features from a deformity, a burn, or even a car accident. Similarly, the need, as well as the desire, for reconstructive plastic surgery, not exclusively cosmetic surgery, has increased by one percent from 2011 to 2012 (14.6 Million Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures Performed in 2012). Amongst the most common birth defects that affect children in North America are cleft lips and cleft palates. With plastic surgery to repair ones cleft lip or cleft palate, ones capabilities in doing daily activities will in turn be improved, such as eating, speaking, hearing, and breathing, along with enhancing the childs appearance. It is clear that plastic surgery is far more than a surgery in which one can change the way ones nose slants or ones eyebrows lay. Plastic surgery is an overall beneficial procedure that should be recommended to anyone in dire need for a reconstructive surgery as they have undergone a detrimental car accident, a fire, cancer, or for someone who was sadly born with a deformity. These people cannot turn back time and change what has happened to them, but they can look forward to what the future beholds and change how they choose to react. In conclusion, plastic surgery should be allowed, supported, and encouraged because it is ethical, in that one may procure the procedure if one can afford it and desires a change, life changing, in that one can truly alter ones view of oneself, and constructive, in that one can both reconstruct and reinvent ones face or other body part as a result of a birth defect, cancer, or traumatic event. Plastic surgery would also eliminate insecurities with regards to body image and self-hatred for both men and women, as it allows them to truly make a change in the way they look at themselves through the acquirement or alteration of a part of their body. Now, imagine the young boy with a reconstructed lip. Yes, he looks healthy. Indeed, he looks happy. Truly, he looks like himself. Plastic surgery allows one to embrace not only who one is, but also whom one wishes to be; it makes it possible for one to be the person they have always dreamed about. This procedure should henceforth never be judged, criticized, or mocked by others, as it is an individuals personal decision to change who they are, not who others are.

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