In the United States, the plastic surgery industry is worth about $14 billion and grows on average two percent. Also, it is estimated that 15 million people worldwide have plastic surgery each year. These figures are expected to grow as it is becoming easier, due to technological advancements and increasing disposable incomes, to undergo a cosmetic surgery procedure.
Like a lot of things in life, there are both positives and negatives when it comes to cosmetic surgery. The benefit is that you can improve on your looks and remove a physical blemish, especially if you were born with a physical feature you’re uncomfortable with. A negative is that there are health risks and the possibility of making a part of your body look fake.
Regardless of the advantages or consequences of plastic surgery, the cosmetic procedure is always in the news, especially as of late after it was reported that Hollywood superstar Marilyn Monroe reportedly had plastic surgery at the height of her acting career.
The star of “Some Like it Hot,” “The Asphalt Jungle” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” underwent cosmetic surgery, including her chin – apparently Monroe, using the name Joan Newman, complained about a “chin deformity.” Throughout the 1950s, Monroe was considered quite the bombshell in Hollywood’s Golden Age of cinema and her beauty was speculated to be artificial.
The whole thing was discovered in a physician’s notes and X-rays that will be up for sale in November at an auction house. It is estimated that the monroe roofers six X-rays, including Monroe’s frontal facial bones, a composite right and left X-ray of the sides of her nasal bones and dental, and a file of her doctor’s notes will fetch between $15,000 and $30,000 at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California.
“Nobody really thought about Marilyn Monroe having plastic surgery. It was always speculation – did she or didn’t she? They thought she was such a natural beauty, they didn’t want to believe,” said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions, in an interview with Reuters. “Also at that time, going back to the 1950s, people didn’t go for plastic surgery procedures. This is very, very new.”
If this was confirmed back in her time, it would be considered buzzworthy news, but considering that so many of today’s stars have admitted to plastic surgery, it isn’t really newsworthy. Some of today’s stars who have admitted to going under the knife consist of Tara Reid, Megan Fox, Mickey Rourke, Courtney Love and Tori Spelling.
Considering some of the questionable after effects of plastic surgery, what compels men and women – mostly women – to do it? Experts say it’s to impress themselves and not the people around them.
“People have surgery not to impress others, they do it to impress themselves,” Dr. Bryan Mendelson told the London Telegraph. “For many people, it’s about getting their confidence back.”
The realm of surgery is here to stay, regardless of the general public’s thoughts. Whether it’s to improve their eye lids, chins, stomachs or breasts, patients will pay money just to enhance their self-esteems.