Set the scene, it’s 2002 and Botox is first used for cosmetic purposes. A game changer. Since then, we as a society haven’t stopped. From a few units in your lips to a full facelift, the options are endless.
My question is — why are we continually affronted by those who partake in cosmetic procedures? To some, it creates unmountable beauty standards, understandably so, but to more, it’s a status symbol. If you can have the “perfect” skin, lips, teeth, body — whatever it may be, you can afford to maintain it. You too can fulfill your Kardashian fantasy. You too can be “perfect.”
Cosmetic procedures originate back to the 1500s, and as important as the history is, we’re here to talk about the last twenty-ish years.
Most people enjoy self-care, at least the basics. Let’s start with a haircut. Unless you’re living off the grid, you have had one. There’s something satisfying about sitting in the chair, sharing the hot goss with your hairdresser and coming out the other side with a new look.
This is appearance change 101. But what classifies as appearance change 102?
From 2000 to 2020, the annual number of Botox injections has increased by around 459%. Post-pandemic, there’s been a surge of cosmetic procedures in both women and men. A growth in popularity ushers an influx in discourse. There are two sides to cosmetic procedures: either you love it or you hate it.
Yes, it’s easy to argue that cosmetic procedures create unfeasible beauty standards, and while I have no certification to discredit that or those feelings, it’s the person who opts into the procedure(s) themselves that chooses to alter their appearance. It’s a new form of self-expression, heralded from Kylie Jenner’s infamous pouty, hyaluronic-filled lips, of course.
Lips, hips and breasts aside — women aren’t the only ones getting work done. Men too are receiving more cosmetic procedures than ever. Hair transplants are at an all-time high among balding men. Men are traveling from around the globe to visit Turkey, a country performing roughly 2,000 hair transplants daily.
That said, it’s important to note that gender-affirming care can also fall into this category. A controversial topic to some, trans rights are continually in jeopardy due to leading legislators and the scarily politically right agenda. With 22 states having restrictions on gender-affirming care, those who wish even to begin an appearance change cannot due to the opinions of others making it harder to express who they truly are.
Everyone wants to feel and look their best.
At its core, our appearance is a form of self-expression. We get up, brush our hair and teeth and put clothes on for a reason. If you want to go the extra mile and get a few units in your lips, by all means, who are you hurting along the way? Sure, it’s easy to get lost in, frequent cosmetic procedures can be a slippery slope. From a botched set of lips to someone who has overdone it, there is a line that can be drawn. But again, who are we as onlookers to tell someone what to do? Last time I checked, we humans are not incredibly fond of being told what to do.
There are bigger fish to fry in our rapidly growing, divided world. It’s easy to be persuaded to get work done. If you feel “perfect” as a human, you are entitled to that feeling. If you don’t, you are entitled to those feelings and what comes with them. What we should all be grateful for is having a choice, which we can see in young voters today when it comes to constitutional reproductive rights in the United States. You don’t have to get any cosmetic procedures if you choose, but we must remember everyone has the right to express themself.
For me, and for now, I’ll be sticking to my plumping lip balm that is just a cold hard case of placebo but makes me feel better about my boring, thin lips. In the end, that’s what it is about. Feeling pretty. Feeling handsome. Whether you’re trying to cover your laugh lines or have found a new you and have chosen to transition — you’re entitled to feel your best.
Dylan Walker is a columnist. Contact him a [email protected].
