Nancy & Tracy Assia

Cover Sheet

1. What is the purpose of your argument?

The purpose of this argument is to show how the media affects the choices people make when it comes to their appearance, such as plastic surgery.

2. Who is your target audience?

Our paper is to target anybody who has been affected by the media and what they are selling as beautiful.

3. What is your thesis statement?

Our thesis statement is… some may feel that plastic surgery is the key to happiness, the key to confidence, and the key to being that model on the cover of Vanity Fair or GQ magazine. What causes us to go under the knife and what are the effects of doing so?  

4. Did you learn/try anything new while growing this composition?

We  always knew that media has always affected the way people feel about themselves but after researching for this paper we realized just how much.

5. What do you like best about your composition? About your composition process? Here's where you talk about your best experiments (Did you mix genres? Where you able to integrate ideas from different sources with your own? etc)

We really enjoyed working in a group. It allowed us to collaborate together on one common idea. If we were to do this separately, we feel that our paper will include a lot of repetition. So it made our paper that much better to work in a group.

6. Of the feedback you garnered in our workshop, what piece of information was most valuable/helpful?

We always find it very helpful when we receive feedback from our peers. We had taken our peers’ entire critic into consideration when we go back to revise our paper.  

7. Where would you like to see the most feedback/advice on your final draft?

The feedback that we would like to receive is to know if there was anything else that I could have done to improve our paper.

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Rough Draft

 “Vanity: excessive pride in one’s appearance.” Better known for, the disease with no cure. We eat, sleep, breathe image. And for what; to show-off something that we can’t even see unless we look into a mirror? We are just never satisfied. How could we alleviate this illness if the media is constantly rubbing perfection in our faces?  Some may feel that plastic surgery is the key to happiness, the key to confidence, and the key to being that model on the cover of Vanity Fair or GQ magazine. What causes us to go under the knife and what are the effects of doing so? 

            When we open up a magazine or turn on the television, we are surrounded by models and actresses that are appearing as if they are getting younger and skinnier. There is a thin line draw between the superficial images of a runway supermodel and the images of ordinary, everyday women. The two worlds are beginning to collide which is now causing many women to examine themselves vigorously in the mirror and find flaws in their exterior. Four out of five patients have reportedly said that their decision to get cosmetic surgery was due to the influence in the media. Hollywood’s standards of beauty are being forced on us causing people, especially women to take drastic action. The media purposely promotes youth and thinness as an essential criterion for beauty. Liposuction is one of the most common surgical procedures that have reached an ultimate high.  As of 2003, 320,022 women have gotten the surgery. Another surgery that continues to escalate in popularity to “improve” the body is a breast augmentation, and 245,140 women have gotten this surgery. The media continues to instill the idea that if you are already thin, then a flawless, youthful face is a must-have. 12,112 have received cheek implants, and 128,667 have gotten facelifts last year.

“The Swan”, “Extreme Makeover”, and “Dr. 90210” are a few of many shows that are based around the idea of “improving ones image”.  Viewers are tuning into these reality shows and seeing normal, everyday women getting a quick-fix with plastic surgery for their “problems”. Some people are seeing themselves in these patients and sympathizing with them causing them so feel less confident in themselves. Although it isn’t wrong to have plastic surgery, if you thoroughly weight your options, but television is making it seem as if plastic surgery is a minor procedure. Procedures such as gastric bypass surgeries, face lifts, liposuction, and nose jobs have become known as “all too common” in households.  With these drastic changed to ones appearance, how does it affect someone after the surgery is over?

Plastic surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous. Middle-class Americans are now also trying to improve themselves no matter how expensive the surgery is. The cost of cosmetic surgery can put a huge strain on the family budget, particularly when the cost exceeds the estimate (“Negative Effect of Cosmetic Surgery”).  Patients don’t usually realize that an estimate is usually only for the procedure itself and not for the anesthesia that will be used. Not to mention, the amount of time that a patient would spend in a hospital if there are complications. Also medication would need to be purchased regardless if there are complications or not. Two-thirds of patients are usually not satisfied with their first surgery, they become obsessed with improving themselves which causes them to go back for a second surgery.  With the exception of reconstructive surgery, elective cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). The cost of cosmetic plastic surgery is not the only negative effect. Psychologists are finding that often there is a heavy emotional and psychological price to pay for cosmetic surgery (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). Many patience of cosmetic surgery begin to suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, which is a condition where the patients continue to find defects in their body and no matter how much surgery they’ve had, it won’t correct it. There is even a greater risk of having cosmetic surgery than their financial situation; there is a big risk of organ failure during the surgery, infection, and an allergic reaction to the medication. With all things that are negative, there comes positive.

Not every patient suffers some sort of depression after surgery. According to the American Medical Associations, more attractive people have the upper hand in the business world, especially in sales. For instance, when Ashlee Simpson had a nose job and Brad Pitt had his ears pinned back nobody even questioned it because it is something that is common in “their world”.  The change in a cosmetic surgery patient’s appearance can build a certain confidence that they could take into their work place.  For example, all else being equal, a good-looking woman will negotiate better for a company than anyone else—even a good-looking man, according to research by Sara Solnick of the University of Miami and Maurice Schweitzer from Wharton. Good-looking women drive harder bargains than everyone else, and good-looking women get more concessions than anyone else. (Makes sense, right? Since these are the women in highest demand for reproducing, the genes for good looks must come with genes for having a sense of entitlement when it comes to negotiating a good deal.) (Trunk, Penelope). 

This trend is here to stay because since the beginning of time, “we can’t get no satisfaction”.  If you are considering cosmetic plastic surgery, do not let the media be your main influence.  Take into consideration that reality television is not always a reality. Is plastic surgery for you?

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Final Draft

The Media and Plastic Surgery

“Vanity: excessive pride in one’s appearance” better known for the disease with no cure. We eat, sleep, and breathe image, and for what; to show-off something that we can’t even see unless we look into a mirror? We are just never satisfied. How could we alleviate this illness if the media is constantly rubbing perfection in our faces?  Some may feel that plastic surgery is the key to happiness, the key to confidence, and the key to being that model on the cover of Vanity Fair or GQ magazine. What causes us to go under the knife and what are the effects of doing so? 

 The media seems to be purposely promoting youth and thinness as an essential criterion for beauty. When we open up a magazine or turn on the television, we are surrounded by models and actresses that are appearing as if they are getting younger and skinnier with age. There is a thin line drawn between the superficial images of a runway supermodel and the images of ordinary, everyday women. The two worlds are beginning to collide, which is now causing many women to examine themselves vigorously in the mirror and find flaws in their physical appearance. The way the media makes people of ordinary society look does not compare to Hollywood’s standards of beauty and while these standards are not only being forced upon us, they have also led women to take drastic action in common procedures such as liposuction. In 2008 alone, 341,144 liposuction surgeries were conducted.

Liposuction isn’t the only surgery that has become increasingly popular over the years. In fact, it is second to the most popular surgery, breast augmentation. With so much attention being put on the upper body, especially by men and the media, 355,671 breast augmentation surgeries were performed just last year and those numbers will continue to escalate. According to Society president Alan Gold, MD “for the first time in the twelve years these statistics have been collected liposuction is a runner up in popularity to breast augmentation” (Earth Times 2009). Could these new statistics be caused by the influence of celebrities on television and on magazines? It is a fact that four out of five patients have reportedly said that their decision to get cosmetic surgery was due to the influence in the media. This surgery will continue to escalate in hopes that women will get the “perfect” body like celebrities whose bodies they dream of having.

Not only is the media affecting the way women view their bodies, but it continues to instill the idea that that is just not enough. It leaves you wanting more and wondering what is a great body without a beautiful face to match? These messages being sent out by the media have not been taken lightly. Just last year, a total of 128,667 people went under the knife to get a rhytidectomy, better known as a face lift, and 12,112 people had cheeks implanted with a cheek augmentation surgery. While these numbers are on the rise, it makes it clear that the confidence of Americans is headed downward.

            If those adjustments to the face aren’t enough, there is more that can be done. A procedure so common in today’s society is a nose job, surgically known as rhinoplasty. Whether it’s to remove a bump, make it smaller, or to change the shape completely, hundreds of thousands of people are having their noses reformatted a year. Celebrities are in the spotlight every day, even if they are out at the grocery store, and they try to look as perfect as possible. With people making fun of their appearances it’s no surprise when they try to “fix” the way they look. There are even lists out there named “Top Celebrity Nose Jobs” which include Jennifer Aniston, Toni Braxton, Katie Holmes, and Beyonce. How are we expected to feel perfect when these beautiful women were being talked about for their “ugly noses” pre-surgery?

There are many shows on television designed around the idea of “improving ones image” such as “The Swan”, “Extreme Makeover”, and “Dr. 90210,” just to name a few. Viewers are tuning in to these so called reality shows to see normal, everyday women get a quick-fix to their “problem” with a little plastic surgery. Some people are seeing themselves through these patients and sympathizing with them, causing them to feel less confident in themselves. These shows are not only making people feel worse about themselves, but they are giving them the idea that surgery is nothing more than a one day process, when in fact the recovery time is at least a couple weeks. Even then, you are advised to stay away from some of your daily activities for an extended period of time. Cosmetic surgery isn’t exactly a walk through the park.

Although there is nothing wrong with having plastic surgery after thoroughly weighing your options, television makes it seem as if it is a minor procedure and you will be satisfied with the end result. Doctors often take a before and after picture of patients so that they are able to give them with an idea of “the new you,” however, it is not for certain that that is what the patient will look like. In addition to the before and after pictures, many people go under the knife hoping they will look like the picture of the celebrity they presented to the doctor, but they fail to realize those features are not for everyone and not everyone can look the same.

Plastic surgery has been becoming more and more popular over the last few years. With celebrities such as Carnie Wilson being a spokesperson for gastric bypass surgery, people feel more comfortable knowing that someone they’ve seen on television had a positive reaction to the surgery. After having his surgery, even weatherman Al Roker from NBC shed over one hundred pounds in front of the camera. Seeing him now and then definitely gives obese people of America the incentive to have gastric bypass surgery so that they can look and feel better about themselves.

These surgical procedures have become too common in the households. With these drastic changes to ones appearance, especially rapid weight loss, many can’t help but wonder how it affects the patient after the surgery is over. In some cases, having depression after plastic surgery is resulted in the reactions of others and adjustment to the new look, but “most factors causing depression are after surgery are medications, post-surgical traumatic stress syndrome, constipation from the medications and more over a long period of just lying in bed and being restricted to many activities” (Cosmetic Miracles). Post surgery depression is more difficult for men because “men usually reject their pain and not asking for any help can make the recovery more difficult” (Cosmetic Miracles). Having plastic surgery can also guilt you into feeling depressed because of financial status.

Though there are instances in which some are depressed, it is not always likely. Not every patient suffers some sort of depression after surgery. According to the American Medical Associations, more attractive people have the upper hand in the business world, especially in sales. For instance, when Ashlee Simpson had a nose job and Brad Pitt had his ears pinned back nobody even questioned it because it is something that is common for them. With their new looks they get more attention, and that is something that is important in “their world.” The change in a cosmetic surgery patient’s appearance can build a certain confidence that they could take into their work place.  For example, all else being equal, a good-looking woman will negotiate better for a company than anyone else—even a good-looking man, according to research by Sara Solnick of the University of Miami and Maurice Schweitzer from Wharton. Good-looking women drive harder bargains than everyone else, and good-looking women get more concessions than anyone else. (Makes sense, right? Since these are the women in highest demand for reproducing, the genes for good looks must come with genes for having a sense of entitlement when it comes to negotiating a good deal.) (Trunk, Penelope). 

Plastic surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous. Middle-class Americans are now also trying to improve themselves no matter how expensive the surgery is. The media has shown the affects of a good surgery and this will not stand in the way of those, even with a mediocre job. The cost of cosmetic surgery can put a huge strain on the family budget, particularly when the cost exceeds the estimate (Negative Effect of Cosmetic Surgery). Patients don’t usually realize that an estimate is usually only for the procedure itself and not for the anesthesia that will be used. Not to mention, the amount of time that a patient would spend in a hospital if there are complications. In addition to hospital bills, medication would need to be purchased regardless if there are complications or not. Two-thirds of patients are usually not satisfied with their first surgery, they become obsessed with improving themselves which causes them to go back for a second surgery.  With the exception of reconstructive surgery, elective cosmetic surgery is not covered by insurance (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). The cost of cosmetic plastic surgery is not the only negative effect. Psychologists are finding that often there is a heavy emotional and psychological price to pay for cosmetic surgery (“Negative Effects of Cosmetic Surgery”). Many patience of cosmetic surgery begin to suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, which is a condition where the patients continue to find defects in their body and no matter how much surgery they’ve had, it won’t correct it. There is even a greater risk of having cosmetic surgery than their financial situation; there is a big risk of organ failure during the surgery, infection, and an allergic reaction to the medication. With all things that are negative, there comes positive.

The media is not always shining a positive light on celebrities and plastic surgery and it is definitely not all glitz and glamour. For example, actress Tara Reid was a much talked about celebrity after her botched stomach liposuction and breast augmentation. Pictures of her failed attempt to look better were plastered all over gossip websites and magazines. Socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein, better known as the woman who tried to look like a cat, spent over 4 million dollars on cosmetic surgery. You might wonder why a woman would want to look like a giant cat. Simple. Her cheating husband loved cats so she tried to win him back by turning into one. His infidelities turned her into a scary, unrecognizable, woman. Who is most famous for their transformation over the years? He is none other than the King of pop himself, Michael Jackson. With his skin lightening procedures, face lifts, lip enhancements, eyebrow lifts, and multiple nose jobs, he is hard to identify as the same Michael Jackson that was once part of the popular group The Jackson Five. It is even rumored that he is unable to perform because his nose might fall off. The cause of such celebrities having botched surgeries has allowed the media to make a mockery out of them.

If plastic surgery is something you are interested in, it should be thought about long and hard. If you are going to learn something from the media, allow rapper Kanye West’s mother to be a prime example. Surgeons advised her not to do the surgeries she was looking for at once because it would be dangerous and they did not give her the medical clearance she needed in order to have such procedures done. In the end she went to a doctor that was untruthful which resulted in her death due to complications that could have been easily avoided. If there is one lesson that should be taken from the media, that is it.

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