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Factors that Motivate Old Women to Seek Plastic Surgery

For long, human beings have had the desire to change and alter themselves, especially their physical appearance. Women have the highest concern about their physical appearance. Philips (170) conducted a study to examine the concerns about women. The study found out that women were very concerned about their noses, weight and skin disorders. Unlike men, women show excessive preoccupation with their body defects, a condition that is referred to as body dysmorphic disorder. This idea was confirmed in a similar study that was conducted by Elizabeth and David (241). Elizabeth and David (253) further found out that women have lower levels of self-esteem and are likely to suffer from suicidal ideations. As a result of these deficiencies, women resort to surgical and non-surgical techniques. The adoption of plastic surgery cuts across all age groups. This paper examines why old women procure plastic surgery procedures.

Plastic surgery involves reconstructive techniques whose purpose is to restore the concerned persons to a productive and fulfilling life. Plastic surgery can be used to improve the tone of tissue in the upper limbs, thighs, breasts, buttocks, face and abdomen. Some of the common plastic surgery procedures are tummy tuck, breast lift with implants, thigh lift, arm lift, and lipo-suction, ear correction, face-lifts, facial implants. According to Vega (67) plastic surgery has its origins in reconstructive surgery and it dates back to five thousand years ago.

Among women, feelings and signs of aging are often met with resistance. Women are willing to use unconventional means in order to rejuvenate their physical appearance. For instance, it has reported that Hungarian countess, Elizabeth Bathory, bathed in the blood of young virgin in a bid to retain her youth (Fraser 58). Luckily, today there are effective procedures, which mean that women do not have to resort to such archaic procedures. Some of the conditions that qualify to be treated using plastic surgery include skin’s facial lines, spots, and loss of elasticity.

One of the reasons why old women seek plastic surgery is to enhance their appearance. The aging process is associated with a number of physical, psychological and social changes. During the aging process, the muscles tend to become weaker and muscle mass become lean. Due to decreased muscle strength, the skin shrinks. The seniors also suffer from skin alterations, a lined forehead, dropping brows, sagging necklines, drooping nasal tissues, and loss of chin and cheek definition, increased wrinkling. In addition, old women could experience small skin haemorrhages and melanocytic pigmentation. There is a growing distaste for these changes and that is why older women will use any means in order to eliminate them.

The desire to undergo plastic surgery among older women is also influenced by the ongoing media outreach. Lifestyle magazines and media outlets tend to praise youthful characters. The media also uses youthful mode in their advertisements. The media has created a culture whereby being young and beautiful is adored. As a way of identifying with this culture, old women are willing to undergo plastic surgery. At the end of it all, undergoing plastic surgery allows them to look young and beautiful as those models they admire in the media.

One of the psychological changes that are associated with aging is a reduced level of self-esteem. Self-esteem is very important as it is associated with positive outcomes such as better life, less criminal behaviour and lower levels of depression (Santoni-Rugiu 81). Unfortunately, old women have low levels of self-esteem which means they are more likely to become depressed. In addition, during their old age, women are adversely affected by events such as empty nest syndrome, and loss of work skills due to declining health. Even though they cannot change the aging process, at-least old women can use eyelifts, injections and wrinkle-filling procedures to improve their self-esteem. Although older women prefer simple procedures such as eye lifting, some of the older women have gone to the extent of procuring female genital plastic surgery. Those who have undergone genital plastic surgery, cite the desire to pursue an idealized version of bodily perfection and wanting to feel “normal” as the primary reasons for their actions (Santoni-Rugiu 62). By restoring normalcy of their reproductive organs, old women are also able to obtain enhanced levels of self-confidence and self-esteem.

In sum, being young and beautiful has become commonplace in modern society. The desire for beauty has become an obsession among both young and old adults. Old women undergo plastic surgery in order to conform to the culturally prescribed modes of beauty. The decision to undergo plastic surgery is often influenced by a culture of youth attractiveness and unprecedented affluence. Old women also undergo plastic surgery in order to look young, become happier, regain their self-confidence and live more fulfilled lives.

Works cited

Elizabeth, Didie and David, Sarwer. Plastic surgery among seniors. Journal of Women’s Health 12.3(2003): 241-253.

Fraser, Suzanne. Cosmetic surgery, gender and culture. Palgrave, 2003.

Phillips, Katheraine. Quality of life for patients with body dysmor- phic disorder. Journal of Nervous and. Mental Disease 188(2000): 170

Santoni-Rugiu, Paolo. A History of Plastic Surgery. Springer, 2007

Vega, Suzanne. Edith Wharton’s Figurines. Beauty & Crime. New York: Blue Note Records, 2007