Monday 7 January 2008

What is wrong with a little nip 'n' tuck?





A friend revealed to me a while back that she was seriously considering plastic surgery. In fact she was beyond 'considering'. The only thing stopping her was that at that particular point in time, she couldn't afford it. My initial reaction to this revealation was horror. But then i took a step back and actually looked beyond my pre-programmed response and i found that i actually had no logical reason not to support her in her decision.


Some plastic surgery is unavoidable e.g reconstructive surgery after an accident, severe burns etc. My friend was considering liposuction. I wish i could give more details, but as readers of my earlier posts might remember, i have a severe phobia of getting caught out i.e. having my true identity revealed and paranoia is not something i deal with very well (See Psst, they're on to me). I won't, therefore, be going into too much detail, lest the person concerned somehow gets to read this and recognises themself.

As i examined my feelings on the matter, i thought, who am i to judge or even try to talk a person out of wanting bigger breasts. Or smaller breasts. Or a flatter stomach, but not the sit ups? I know all surgery is inherently risky and that was the only valid argument i could muster, especially since my friend was considering jetting off to some obscure Eastern European country to get the work done on the cheap, and that was where i drew the line and told her to stop being stupid (in the nicest way possible, of course).

There are extremes, of course Jocelyn Wildenstein (above) for one, and that poster child for excessive plastic surgery gone wrong - Michael Jackson. Demi Moore apparently had a total body overhaul for her role in the second Charlies Angels movie, in order not to be shown up by her younger co-stars. Also, perhaps to keep the interest of her much younger husband. Perhaps. And Kanye West's mother tragically lost her life last year as a result of a cosmetic procedure.

On a personal level, if i had the money, i would have surgery to remove my hereditary undereye bags - the kind that cannot be shifted by creams and lotions, no matter how expensive or what promises the manufacturers make! Trust me, i've tried. For now, i hide them behind my glasses and wait for the day i can justify shelling out £4000+ for the procedure.

What are your thoughts on plastic surgery? Are you for it or against? And if you're for and money was no object, what would you get done?

20 comments:

Arewa said...

I totally agree that plastic surgery is very risky and also costs quiet a lot.. but that has never stopped people from going under the knief....I have joked about having liposuction to reduce my love handles and having a breast reduction.. but i do not see myself ever doing it because i feel that i can work on my loveh's and my boobs i will just have to learn to live with.....
It is an individual decision with very serious risks but all we can do at the end of the day is support people who decide to go through with it...if they they have the money, are willing to put up with the pain and feel that strongly about it.. then why not.

Atutupoyoyo said...

One of my sisters had her boobs and nose done last year. I was completely against the idea but she went ahead and did it anyway. I can honestly say that she regrets the decision. Blacks skin can be prone to keloids and she has now got some underneath her breasts. There is also no discernible difference to her nose. This for me highlights the biggest problem with cosmetic surgery - the repeat factor.

Interpretation is everything and the minute you go under the knife you are working to another person's interpretation of how you ought to look. What if he doesn't quite get it right? Whoops there goes some more cartilage to address teh problem. Or there you go, a bit more silicone to bulk it up a bit.

Cosmetic surgery is very rarely a one off and is always subject to the repeat factor. The danger is that if you were not entirely happy with your being to start with, you probably never will be.

Preach brother! Preach……..

Anonymous said...

Whilst I think that plastic surgery can be risky, i believe that it is beneficial to those who need it for medical reasons, like a breast reduction, burns, or something along those lines. As for 'the bride of frankenstein' Jocelyn, well, take a look at her!!! Ahh, baban'la nonsense!! And there's the story of that lady who actually tried to emulate a barbie doll that she has more or less become plastic..what's scary is that people, mostly women, tend to be influenced by what they see and read in the consumer magazines which is ironic because the majority of the shots are retouched. (Rant over!!)

UndaCovaSista said...

@arewa - my thoughts exactly! and all of my big boobied (is that a word?)friend's swear by Bravissimo ;)

@atutupoyoyo - Wow. Big up your sister. She has guts! And you make a good point re: interpretation. I suppose that's why people like michael jackson just keep going and going like the energiser bunny (or is it duracell?). The sad thing is that there are loads of unscrupulous quacks out there. Even sadder is the fact that a fool and his money are easily parted...

@Akin - i agree that women are more susceptible to the images of the so-called perfect woman as portrayed by the Media. And a lot of the time people give in due to low self esteem issues etc etc. However, trying to model (or rather re-model) yourself via surgery on a celebrity or (heaven help us) a doll!!. Well, that's just insane..

guerreiranigeriana said...

hmmmnnn...surgery is a serious thing, everytime...i often joke that if i had money, i would get some more junk added to my trunk and maybe a size bigger boobs, just to make my waist look smaller...if i really had the money though, i would not go through with it...don't think it would sit well with me spiritually, especially with wars going on, children starving and women dying unneccessarily in childbirth...wouldn't feel good wasting that kind of money on my exterior, which will depreciate, no matter what, as opposed to saving lives...

...i'm human, perfectly imperfect...and my body too, although i have been told otherwise...and i'd rather travel anyway...but, to each his own, i'm no judge...i have a friend who got a boob job...she's happy...that's what matters, right?...or at least that's what they tell us...

Naapali said...

I would give my whole hearted support for cosmetic head reduction surgery, I would have had less neck pain in childhood! Also fewer bruised shins from falling.

Thirty + said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I think cosmetic surgery for corrective purpose in case of accident or health reason is permissible. However if it's to get you some more confidence or to make you feel better about yourself...travelling around the world may be more rewarding.

I have often toyed with having a boob job sha but it's more talk than anything

Miss Opeke said...

Sometimes it is better we just give our own opinion and just let them decide if they still want to go through with it.
It does not make us love them less...

Happy New Year GF...There's so much we are going to accomplish this year we juz have to believe in ourselves...

A Kel called Wonder ...... said...

Nothing wrong with it. But with safe well tested doctors. Cos if ur body cant handle then they'll tell u. I stay awake to watch DR90210, i dont want ps, but i need to loose weight and be a size 12 again am a 14 now and my clotes r getting tighter lol. off point i know, anyway good luck to ur friend.

And Happy New Year!!

UndaCovaSista said...

@guerreira - Yes, i suppose most people have toyed with the idea at some point, but it's a very personal thing. As our people like to say 'one man's meat is another man's poison'...

@naapali - that sounds like it's coming from a very deep place (especially since you've also blogged about the size of your head recently :) ), but where would they begin, and what would they remove?...

@30+ - I hear you, but on days i have a bad hair day, whilst i wont say i feel bad about myself,i'll admit my mood is affected and immediately improved once i get my hair done. You could argue that getting surgery is like getting your hair done (x100) i.e. changing your appearance in order to get a boost...can't u?

@Miss Opeke - True. Once a person has made up their minds to do it, they probably will go right ahead no matter what...happy new year again!

@Kel - That's the only thing i could think of to tell my friend to be honest. There are far too many risks already, without you now going to some quack. Happy new year
.

Afrobabe said...

Hmmm...I for one cannot risk surgery on the face...tummy...yeah maybe..but heard they leave nasty scars..

cant chance looking like the versace girl or Barbara somebody whose face looks frozen...always.

UndaCovaSista said...

@afrobabe - which Barbara's face always looks frozen? Been racking my brain and it won't go away...Good luck with the exams

Arewa said...

lol...damn right...Bravissimo is a life saver for some of us and freya rocks !!....lol

Girlie said...

Plastic Surgery....... am indeifferent about this topic o.

If it is really needed then why not(like u said constructive surgery), but me am not down for the pain, cost and side effects!!!!

Flourishing Florida said...

i've no qualms abt plastic surgery. no qualms at all. i mean, i've been trying to get my tommy flattened 4 years & years, if i can have a surgery 2 achieve that - permanently, no more exercise 4 as long as i shall live - i'd jump at it. unfortunately, dez none but i'd have 2 manage with good ol' sit-ups. Hmm, my hips needs some work too, though ... i doubt they've got a procedure 4 enlarged hips, without taking out d ribs of course (i ain't no Cher). while we r still on d subject, may as well include that i don't mind getting my jingles done either. I saw this BEAR lady d other day @ d airport & couldn't help 'scoping' her boobs & i was not impressed. hell, if am going to get a boob job, i'd better do a Pam Anderson. Girlfriend has zero talent, but look what a celebrity she is!!!!!

Queen of My Castle said...

I say to each his own. I personally want to pay to have perkier breasts. They have lost a bit of their Umph after 2 babies, but I don't think I will because it is really risky, as you have stated.

UndaCovaSista said...

@arewa - lol..

@girlie - Oooh the pain...i know!

@Florida - you go girl...!

@Queenie - Seems like it's push up bras all round then ;)

Waffarian said...

I can not imagine going under the knife for anything. I am scared as hell at the very thought of any kind of operation. Maybe when I am older....thats not to say I am satisfied with every part of my body right now, but I believe I can still work on it now, when I am young.

J Adamthwaite said...

Ooh no, not for me. I'm far too much of a whimp.

That aside, I think it's as dangerous in the conceptual sense as it is in the physical sense. There are scary amounts of adverts for cosmetic surgery in magazines and on public transport these days. I think it perpetuates the myth that women have to look a certain way and it contributes strongly to the poor self-image that young women are growing up with.

For medical purposes, obvoiously it's a different matter. And for cosmetic purposes, I wouldn't judge an individual for making the decision to go under the knife. But as an inustry, I hate it with a passion.

Hello, by the way! I really enjoyed this post.

UndaCovaSista said...

@Waffarian - i know. It's scary enough in situations where you have no choice, talkless of electing to have the surgery..

@J - Your point about the industry is very true, and very scary. Thanks for stopping by..