Opinion Article

Opinion Article

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From Beauty Products to Plastic Surgery: A Demise of Self-Esteem

Once confidence was considered as the byproduct of higher self-esteem, but not anymore. This emergence of social media is the worst thing that has happened to millennials. Baby boomer generation was the worker generation that worked hard to build the world that we live in today. They were confident to rely on their skills and confidence. But the businesses they created never required the intelligent, confident customers. Those industrialists needed dummy customers with lower self-esteem so that they can be reminded about their flaws to sell them the products.

Commercials on TV and newspapers were based on “behavioral targeting” to influence potential customers. Such advertisements cleverly targeted the population by wrapping up the facts in a sugar-coated slogan. Sad girl strategy is the most used in such advertisements. “Use this cream and become beautiful” is the example of such advertisement. In the after-effects of the product, advertisers always show girl looking happier. Such Ads hammer the self-esteem of public and show natural imperfections as flaws.

The journey that started with beauty products has entered another phase of surgery warfare. Continuous bombardment of painted faces on social media has given rise to lowering self-esteem. The concept of surgery to reach perfection became popular from Kim Kardashian’s cosmetic surgeries. But that virus spread worldwide. Instagram from all social media platforms has given rise to insecurity in the young population. From lip injections, a nose job to the check implants and other beauty procedures, these surgeries have become really popular. Beauty influencers have played the biggest role in making these cosmetics procedures popular. From changing the eyelids, eye color to the skin color, all has become possible. These influencers have played a huge role in creating acceptability of these procedures among youngsters that were considered immoral ten years ago. Now such procedures are sold on the name of achieving perfection that has become an option in this time. Many claims that these procedures have nothing to with lower levels of self-esteem, which raises a question of why to change your appearance if one has no complexes? Contentment is the first product of confidence that such clients lack. They attribute it to the utilization of an option. But studies that about 70 % of the population involved in cosmetic surgeries has higher levels of depression. Or they have been the targets of depression and anxiety in their past.

According to stats in South Korea every one individual in 5, has gone through these plastic surgery procedures. These procedures have become so common that often these are gifted as birthday presents to the teens from their family and friends. In Korea, it has become so prevalent that getting eyelid surgery and nose lifting surgery are considered as “regular basics.” Seoul is considered as the world’s largest beauty industry. But sadly the suicide rate in Korea is on the rapid increase. Around half of the Korean women have been through surgeries, then what is raising these depression levels in Korea? If plastic surgery is the answer to the confidence and contentment then why people are becoming less and less satisfied with their looks.

The trend is observed that the individuals who already had plastic surgery have a higher trend of more plastic surgeries. Body dysphoria has started to become more common in people with cosmetic surgeries. In 80 percent cases even after plastic surgery, the individuals feel uncontended with themselves and the way they look. These rates are higher in individuals with mental health problems.

Seeing these digitally corrected and enhanced painted images are making people more and more insecure about themselves. It is the cause of increased depression levels among the younger population. How can we divert the trend of cosmetic surgeries in the young population to some healthy alternative? If plastic surgery rates will keep rising, it will turn out be alarming for the mental health of the individuals. Media platforms should be used to enhance productivity not to raise complexes in their users.