Hello Y’all! It’s Father’s Day today, and I want to extend a shout-out to all the good and amazing Fathers out here. Where would we be without our Dads? Meanwhile, the weather is beautiful out here in North Texas; we have a gentle breeze wafting through our porch, and it’s divine. My post today is quite sensitive, and something we can all relate to. Being a millennial and watching the technological evolution manifest right before my eyes, the beauty industry has not been exempt from these innovations. *Just to make a disclaimer that I’m not in any way against technology, in fact, it has done a whole lot of good for the industry, but there is a fine line between sanity and absolute bonkers that we are going to look into here.

Plastic Surgery – The Dawn of Possibilities

I first heard about the term ‘plastic surgery’, it was mentioned alongside Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, back then. He had undergone what was coined Rhinoplasty to repair his nose that got broken during a rehearsal accident in 1979, way before my time, but something I noticed growing up as he got more work done. At that time, it was something that music stars and celebrities were getting into, which, in my opinion, made sense because they had to be in the public eye, and being youthful meant longevity in the entertainment industry. But unbeknownst to the majority of the public, there was a plan to market the possibilities of beauty enhancements available to the general public, and using celebrities was the gateway. It would be extremely lucrative to create this ideal of what the perfect body on a woman or man should be, and a fast way to achieve it with less effort.

The Kardashians – The Downfall of Natural Beauty

In 2007, the show Keeping Up with the Kardashians came onto the Reality TV scene. A family made popular first by the fact that the patriarch, Robert Kardashian, was the lawyer for O.J. Simpson during the murder trial of his wife. The Kardashian ladies were the ‘it’ girls back then. We all wanted to dress like them, talk like them, and some went as far as trying to look like them. They glamorized Botox, fillers, BBLs – Brazilian Butt Lifts, breast implants, coolsculpting – a non invasive fat reduction procedure, vaginoplasty, Mummy Makeover – A full body upgrade and much more. “If that part of the body could be reached, it could be tweaked”. This was the message insinuated on that show, and in my opinion, the downward spiral had begun.

Pop-Up Clinics, Quack Doctors, and Affordable Overseas Options

I remember when I could count the number of Plastic Surgery institutes and clinics in my county, but now there’s one in literally every corner offering solutions with payment plan options. We have all heard of women who cannot afford these clinics settling for quack doctors in shanty apartments and hotel rooms, to those ladies traveling overseas to developing countries offering cheaper rates for the same procedures. Back in the day, people were somewhat more content with their overall physical appearance than they are today. You did the best with what you had, and many sacrificed by exercising, dieting, and using more natural remedies.

Ramifications of these Trends

No one is talking about the health implications of these substances in our bodies. Not many are allowed to voice their less-than-pleasant experiences after undergoing these procedures. There is a high risk of cancers and many more debilitating illnesses due to these procedures. People have literally changed their total appearance with no resemblance to their ethnicity or family. But it doesn’t stop there. We have those who suffer from body dysmorphia and have literally gone over the edge with these procedures, and look nothing short of hideous.

A few months ago, a study officially came out on fillers, which are dermal injectable treatments that can enhance facial features and improve the overall appearance of the face are now reportedly an issue. These injectables, which can be silicone, hyaluronic acid, or other substances, have been reported to migrate around the face and body, with patients complaining of these implants not dissolving or difficulty removing them from the body. The FDA created a Filler Safety Panel document by Steven F. Weiner, MD, in 2021 that doctors needed to present to patients on the risks involved before proceeding with treatment, but this has not slowed down the masses from going ahead despite the risks involved. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The rabbit hole goes further down. The horror stories include amputations, rotting flesh, vision issues, migraines, hair loss, lymphedema, and cancer have been reported, but not many are listening.

In conclusion, where do we draw the line? I’m not even sure the “line” exists anymore, just because of how far we’ve gone with superficial enhancements to the bodies of women and men. What has made women feel this way, where we risk our lives to hold onto youth that is bound to fade as we age? I don’t think this is an easy answer, but I believe it is a conversation we need to have on a larger scale if there is any hope in positively impacting the younger generations growing up around this abnormal obsession. I can understand genuine health conditions, accidents, and congenital disorders that require some of these procedures, but at the rate we as a society are going, it may end up being too late if something is not done to slow down this descent. This is indeed food for thought.

Until I come your way again, please like, comment, share, and follow for more.

Periwinkle Starr