What is beauty up to?

By Kevin Somers

Who is beautiful? How does one become beautiful? Then what? Humans have always been obsessed with appearance — people react to how we look, after all — but we don’t always exercise sound judgement. One of the most gruesome examples of vanity losing its mind went on for 1,000 years in China, where millions of girls had their tiny feet broken, bound, and broken and bound again to keep them small. Petite, disfigured feet were considered attractive, but I disagree. And, when you think about it, beauty is up to me.

Fortunately or not, technology has made aesthetic enhancement less invasive and more available. Unlike housing, automotive, or manufacturing, there’s tremendous growth in the beauty industry, despite Ontario’s shrinking economy. As the beauty business booms beautifully, acceptance for cosmetic work is skyrocketing, too. It’s a nice position for the entrepreneurial-minded, and more and more doctors are leaving mismanaged medicine to practice lucrative loveliness.

I can’t embrace the trend, but understand why others do. People are combative: We argue with family and friends, one country invades another, even beautiful souls battle demons, and we fight our appearance tooth and nail, scalpel and stitch. In the eternal pursuit of youth and beauty, each of us spends plenty of precious time plotting and preparing to present ourselves to the planet.

Men are catching up, but women are much more likely to spend money on cosmetic enrichment. According to the Cosmetic Surgery Statistics Canada website, 85.5 percent of all cosmetic enhancement procedures performed in 2003 were on women, mostly professionals. (I wonder what percentage of the surgeons were men.)

The world is a stage, a woman in charge has to be capable and cultured, in-touch and intelligent, vigorous and vibrant — more so than her male counterparts — to thrive in many workplace environments. Self-esteem and confidence are powerful tools and we live in a quick-fix world, so the temptation for surgery is obvious.

Cosmetic surgery is an untidy topic. There is a general consensus, however, that beauty is deeper than skin and goes to the soul. Appearance is only part of pulchritude.
Being beautiful is living beautifully: eating well, being kind, creating beauty through art. Great achievements stem from hard work and being beautiful is no different. Curiously, professional women, who are packaged with a work ethic, are the most likely to go under a knife willingly.

Time, certainly, is often a factor. Statistics show that women, even working women, do most of the work at home. After work-work, then housework, there isn’t much time or energy for Pilates workouts or poetry workshops. Cosmetic surgery promises almost instant gratification. With remarkable efficacy, a facelift can take off years just as a tummy tuck removes pounds: both, certainly, invigorating jolts from the grind. Unrealistic societal pressure is also part of the dynamic.

There are innumerable factors, of course, which are considered before surgery: benefits, costs, discomfort, disappointment, safety, and scarring, to name a few. My neighbour said he’d never have surgical enhancement for fear of being the dreaded “botched job.”

I’ve come to a hundred conclusions a thousand times regarding cosmetic surgery. Undoubtedly, living beautifully does wonders for one’s appearance, health, hope, self-image, and soul. I think if you live beautifully you’ll feel beautiful. But, then again, beauty is up to you.

Kevin Somers is a Hamilton-based writer, who spends many an evening contemplating the convergence of the business and fashion worlds.

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For non-invasive beautification, try Dermatix C to reduce scar tissue. www.plasticsurgeryinfo.ca

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The Winner

by Kevin Somers

Happiness is a loving look
In the mirror, on the door
A stolen glance from a lusty crook
And there's my favourite paramour

My plugged-in hair is nice and black
The teeth, still new, are straight and white
Under my chin there is no more slack
The nose is smaller and looks just right

Since the laser, my vision's great
And Botox deadened lines
At last there can be no debate
I haven't any aging signs

Next I'm getting chest implants
And a big reduction of tummy size
I'll be bigger in the pants
And they'll suck the fat off ass and thighs

It costs a lot and I'm in constant pain
But you'll never hear a lament
For the price I pay to not be plain
Is worth it all, every cent

I need doctors at my side
The sick can go eat cake
I'm a man who's rich with pride
Look at me for heaven's sake

All my problems will disappear
When I am fine and thinner
And when confronted with a mirror
I hope to see a winner

Image courtesy stock.xchng