How far are you willing to go in the name of beauty? Injections, unapproved drugs, laser treatments, surgery?
You may want to try one of the latest beauty crazes like anal bleaching. Yes, it’s true. Women are having treatments and using creams to lighten the color of the skin around their anus. Hey, if you’re willing to go that far, might as well go for the gusto and have vaginal rejuvenation so you can feel like a virgin. Trim those too big labia, unhood your clitoris, tighten the vaginal walls or give him the gift of popping your cherry by having your hymen restored. No need to do those pesky Kegel exercises. Just go under the laser or take a handy dandy pill.
Those of you who know me can vividly picture my eyes rolling back and my head shaking in disgust. I can maybe see having these procedures done if you’re a highly paid porn star and an in-your-face video of you will be airing on the big screen. Or if the procedures are deemed medically necessary for a true medical problem. But for cosmetic reasons…no way! Even forgetting the cost, think of the potential complications such as infection, decreased sensation, pain and scarring.
IMHO, many women go too far in their attempts to achieve perfection. The standards of beauty have shifted to unattainable extremes. Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. What is pleasing to one person may be repulsive to another. Let’s be real—if we all achieved the current ideals of perfection what would be the point? We would all look exactly the same, and where is the beauty in that? Boredom would be the result, sparking a whole new ideal requiring a new battery of procedures to reach.
Twenty years ago the goal for women was to be a size 8 or 10. Today, many strive for the anorexic look of ultra-thin runway models who wear a size 0. The ultimate—tall, young and emaciated. Young women are getting the message. They are starving themselves and spending grueling hours every day with personal trainers to reach unhealthy proportions. Even the most beautiful models require hours of work in the makeup artist’s chair and still their photos have to be computer-enhanced. Movies, magazines, billboards and television bombard us with unrealistic images of beauty which can make even the most confident of women question their appearance. The result is an obsessive quest to achieve the impossible.
Don’t get me wrong—wanting to look your personal best is not a bad thing. Notice I said, your personal best, not what society deems as the current standards of beauty. Let’s face reality. Not everyone can be a size 10, and very few can survive as a size 0. Think about the people you feel are beautiful and what qualities they possess that make you feel this way about them. Is it their perfect body or loving heart? Their surgically perfected face or their unique spirit?
Real beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. It comes from within. One of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met was when I worked at a trauma hospital. This 72 year-old homeless patient had tough, spotty, wrinkly skin along with baggy, saggy body parts, yet she radiated with beauty. No matter how little she had, this woman would give her last morsel of food or warmest piece of clothing to someone she felt needed it more than she did. No matter how depressing her circumstances, she greeted everyone with a dazzling smile and laughter sparkling in her eyes.
Do what you can to have a healthy, attractive vessel. Eat right, exercise, take care of yourself. Then if you really want to shine, fill that perfected vessel with a beautiful soul.
You may want to try one of the latest beauty crazes like anal bleaching. Yes, it’s true. Women are having treatments and using creams to lighten the color of the skin around their anus. Hey, if you’re willing to go that far, might as well go for the gusto and have vaginal rejuvenation so you can feel like a virgin. Trim those too big labia, unhood your clitoris, tighten the vaginal walls or give him the gift of popping your cherry by having your hymen restored. No need to do those pesky Kegel exercises. Just go under the laser or take a handy dandy pill.
Those of you who know me can vividly picture my eyes rolling back and my head shaking in disgust. I can maybe see having these procedures done if you’re a highly paid porn star and an in-your-face video of you will be airing on the big screen. Or if the procedures are deemed medically necessary for a true medical problem. But for cosmetic reasons…no way! Even forgetting the cost, think of the potential complications such as infection, decreased sensation, pain and scarring.
IMHO, many women go too far in their attempts to achieve perfection. The standards of beauty have shifted to unattainable extremes. Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. What is pleasing to one person may be repulsive to another. Let’s be real—if we all achieved the current ideals of perfection what would be the point? We would all look exactly the same, and where is the beauty in that? Boredom would be the result, sparking a whole new ideal requiring a new battery of procedures to reach.Twenty years ago the goal for women was to be a size 8 or 10. Today, many strive for the anorexic look of ultra-thin runway models who wear a size 0. The ultimate—tall, young and emaciated. Young women are getting the message. They are starving themselves and spending grueling hours every day with personal trainers to reach unhealthy proportions. Even the most beautiful models require hours of work in the makeup artist’s chair and still their photos have to be computer-enhanced. Movies, magazines, billboards and television bombard us with unrealistic images of beauty which can make even the most confident of women question their appearance. The result is an obsessive quest to achieve the impossible.
Don’t get me wrong—wanting to look your personal best is not a bad thing. Notice I said, your personal best, not what society deems as the current standards of beauty. Let’s face reality. Not everyone can be a size 10, and very few can survive as a size 0. Think about the people you feel are beautiful and what qualities they possess that make you feel this way about them. Is it their perfect body or loving heart? Their surgically perfected face or their unique spirit?
Real beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. It comes from within. One of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met was when I worked at a trauma hospital. This 72 year-old homeless patient had tough, spotty, wrinkly skin along with baggy, saggy body parts, yet she radiated with beauty. No matter how little she had, this woman would give her last morsel of food or warmest piece of clothing to someone she felt needed it more than she did. No matter how depressing her circumstances, she greeted everyone with a dazzling smile and laughter sparkling in her eyes.
Do what you can to have a healthy, attractive vessel. Eat right, exercise, take care of yourself. Then if you really want to shine, fill that perfected vessel with a beautiful soul.
6 comments:
Thought provoking and very timely piece, Nic.
I agree that real beauty comes from within. Beauty comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors. If we all looked alike, the world would be a boring place.
It's sad that some people truly believe that they need these cosmetic procedures to feel beautiful.
In my opinion, any surgery has a potential risk and should never be undertaken lightly.
I couldn't agree with you more, Nic. Beauty is within us, and when we let it shine from the inside it creates something no surgery could compare to.
Nothing makes me toss my cookies quicker than seeing a (usually) female actor with that weirdly smooth, shiny forehead and petrified eyebrows. You can't help but wonder, if they do *this* to their faces, what have they done to the rest of them.
Now I find all this just sad. And it is all done for what? To please self or a man? Seriously, hussies, self-esteem seems to be a lost aspect of self-worth.
But, in these women's defense, I suspect it is a matter of technology making it so easy. But, the bleaching... come on! I believe you are right, Nic, it is the pursuit of perfection and to be perfect just isn't human!
11/16/2007 8:44 AM
color me behind here - but this is a topic that just makes me see red. Seriously. I don't get it.
Some of the most beautiful people I know others would see and at first glance go "HIM???" or "HER???? Come on, Ci, you're kidding right?" But the fact is the beauty I see comes from within the person.
The most outwardly gorgeous person in the world can be the most evil and ugly inside. And the reverse is also true. Beauty does come from within.
Now I admit that I am a strong advocate for exercise. Not for the sake of looks, but health and mental well-being. And my "personal" best is not something I measure against anyone else. Like PopEye "I am what I am." Not asking for approval or praise on it.
I agree with you, Nic. Want to be beautiful? Start with the soul. Because in the final outcome what else really matters?
It's insanity! Because society says we are supposed to look a certain way, women spend a fortune and risk their lives by going under the knife. I just don't get it. You are who you are supposed to be, why try to be someone different?
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