Plastic Surgery Doesn’t Make You Beautiful
September 13, 2012
Ever feel self-conscious about your appearance? Or feel pressured by your friends or the media to change the way you look? It’s no secret that society has an impact on how we see ourselves. But what if the people around you bullied you so consistently about your appearance that you saw no other option but to change yourself?
That’s how Nadia Ilse felt.
Nadia, a 14-year-old from Georgia, was constantly made fun of because her ears stuck out a little. Nadia’s mom, seeing her daughter distraught and with poor self-esteem, scheduled an appointment for Nadia to have plastic surgery. Nadia’s reconstructive procedure pinned her ears back and reshaped her nose and chin.
The “corrective” surgery was financed completely by The Little Baby Face Foundation—an organization that helps children with facial deformities, like cleft lips or facial palsy. Nadia’s case has caused controversy as to whether or not the surgery should have been done, since having ears that stick out is not generally considered a deformity.
“I look beautiful, this is exactly what I wanted,” Nadia says. Though she has no regrets, should Nadia have undergone surgery to avoid being tormented by others?
To me, “beautiful” doesn’t describe someone’s face or body, but his or her personality. The media leads us to believe that we do not only have to be “pretty,” but we have to be perfect. I wish we lived in a society where personality mattered more than how “pretty” or “hot” you were. I hope that despite what society or peers say we can all learn to love ourselves and not change our appearance in order to appease others.
http://youtu.be/-5icRiXCUWk
Posted In: Your Body
Tags: body image | self-esteem | plastic surgery | beauty