Beauty Kills

We all know that the media, society, and even our peers challenge the way we feel about ourselves and the way we look at our own bodies. We have the media telling us to lose weight, we have society telling us to look a certain way, and then we have our peers to bash on our self esteem for the way we do look. As Americans we are all in love with the quick fix solution, (Oh if only I could win the lottery!) But among these quick fix solutions is Anorexia and plastic surgery. You may be wondering why I've decided to include both of these two sensitive subjects into one blog, well, I find that both are very dangerous aspects of "achieving beauty" that are as widely known for their risks as they should be.

Let’s begin with Anorexia, probably the darker of the two evils, but also the one that receives the most attention. As I was doing my research for this blog, I found this one dreadful website on "How to become a better anorexic". I personally find this really disturbing, why can't we as a people band together to put a stop to things like this? This website not only supports the spread of a serious disease, but shows you how to do it "right". Although I admit it almost seems to be in a sarcastic tone, I feel it shouldn't even exists because way too many young children will find the site and take it to heart. If you just type in Anorexia Tips into your Google search bar, you will find countless other websites like this.
Some of the problems that comes along with the "Anorexic Lifestyle" are as Followed; You can't think right, fear of gaining weight, sad, moody, irritable, bad memory, fainting, changes in brain chemistry, Hair thins and becomes brittle, Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, fluttering of the heart (palpitations), heart failure, Anemia and other blood related problems, Weak muscles, swollen joints, fractures, osteoporosis, Kidney stones, kidney failure, Low potassium, magnesium and sodium, Constipation, bloating. Periods stop, bone loss, problems growing, trouble becoming pregnant, if pregnant, higher risk of miscarriage, C-section, baby with low birth weight, and post partum depression, Bruise easily, dry skin, growth of fine hair all over body, get cold easily, yellow skin, nails become brittle. The evil continues. "The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old. 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems"(facts from this site).

What is the relation to plastic surgery? Well plastic surgery is also a quick fix method to your physical appearance. Although I am not 100% against plastic surgery (especially for women who lost a breast or two to breast cancer, and people who suffered horrible traumatic experiences leaving them physically scarred) but I do want to remind people of the dangers. Plastic Surgery Complications: Anesthesia/Sedation Complications; abnormal heart rhythm, airway obstruction, blood clots, brain damage, death, heart attack, malignant hyperthermia, nerve damage, stroke, temporary paralysis, Airway obstruction, and Brain Damage, well, lets just say there is alot of risk involved, and before going under the knife, you ought to know the facts. "Cosmetic procedures by plastic surgeons have increased 195% since 1992, and about 6.6 million Americans had procedures in 2002, according to the plastic surgeons society. Risks range from ugly scarring and illness to death."

As for the statistics of actual death Plastic surgery (in 2000) Liposuction: 1/5000 Tummy Tuck: 1/6000 facelift: 1/10,000

Now of course my stats. Are out of date, and they don't seem very often, but never forget, you might be that one. And if you still wish to go under the knife, just make sure you and your family are prepared for the possibility of your death. It's more of the depression and health risks that I am worried about. And of course the low self-esteem of the masses. Just remember, however corny it may seem, tell yourself every damn day that you are beautiful the way you are, and don't you forget it.