<p>Some people get high and mighty when it comes to plastic surgery, saying that getting procedures done is akin to cheating. To me, that sounds wrong because it treats beauty as a virtue, when it’s more of a lottery ticket. It’s not as if those that are good and kind achieve beauty; in fact, isn’t it quite the opposite? People are just born with more symmetrical features. If there was an affordable and safe way to obtain those randomly generated combinations, is that such a despicable deed?</p>
<p>What about getting braces? Nobody really needs braces. A few crooked teeth here and there never killed anybody. But nowadays, the slightest chance of an imperfect smile and bam! It’s $10 000 to the orthodontist for what is mostly a cosmetic procedure. Why is getting a perfect smile socially acceptable, while getting perfect lips or eyes are not? </p>
<p>What about even working out? You’re putting your body through some unnatural movements to obtain a socially desirable physique. </p>
<p>Say that in the future, a few lasers and a couple of hundred bucks can take care of most minor plastic surgeries. What would be your stance on that?</p>
<p>About braces: You’re wrong. Most braces, at least on kids that parents pay for, are due to problems with the bite that can impact the jaw and cause misalignment, pain, tooth decay and loss and other future medical problems (TMJ, for example). I know many parents, myself included, who would love to save the thousands of dollars on orthodontia if it were simply cosmetic.</p>
<p>I also have no problems with plastic surgery that is medically necessary (to correct a deformity, help with burns/scars, or replace a breast lost to cancer, for example). </p>
<p>The rest is vanity. Expensive and (currently) dangerous as well.</p>
<p>OMG grimfan it’s common sense.<br>
And you are assuming everyone’s just doing it to look good, when, in fact, they are not. Some do it because otherwise they would have to suffer physically. </p>
<p>Are you seriously comparing putting metal in your mouth for a few months/years to cutting your face open? Well when I put it like that it sounds bad, but you know what I mean.</p>
<p>So you agree that cosmetic enhancements are acceptable when ignoring to do so would severely affect your livelihood? Then what about for people whose careers depend heavily on appearance, such as acting, modelling, or even business? Whether it is getting odd looks on the street, or simply being out of a job, both are bad situations.</p>
<p>Well no, Chedva agrees when it’s medically necessary. Severely affect your livelihood is not medically necessary. (Except the replacing a breast part. -_-; If I had breast cancer, I’d just get rid of them both.)</p>
<p>And I’d also like to see you try to tell someone who got first degree burns in a car crash that his/her problem is comparable to an actress who wants bigger boobs.</p>
<p>You bring up an interesting point. Both are relatively unecessary procedures designed to improve a person’s appearance by an artificial means.</p>
<p>The different is in society’s opinion. Plastic surgery is seen as a play item of the upper classes, while almost anyone can get braces (I think with insurance?) Also, there is much less risk involved in braces. There is certainly a risk in some plastic surgery procedures.</p>
<p>I have TMJ…it actually seems a bit worse after having braces (but is probably because of playing clarinet). The popping and occasional locking and soreness sucks, but it’s not bad enough to do anything about.</p>
<p>Anyway, my teeth were fairly straight before-hand, but I had an over-bite. They aren’t perfect now because I stopped wearing my top retainer after a year or so (the bottom one’s glued in), but I like my teeth. </p>
<p>I think teeth that are a tad bit off (just a tad) look better than perfect ones for some reason.</p>
<p>But to the question of braces v plastic surgery. </p>
<p>Key word is surgery for me. Some people need oral surgery during their process…but I still think that just moving your teeth around is more acceptable than a nose-job or whatever.</p>
<p>The reason I ended up getting braces so late (I think in like 9th or 10th grade, don’t even remember) is because my teeth actually looked fine…I even went to the orthodontist once and he told me I didn’t need them, and then went back a few years later and they did one of those tooth mold things, and discovered that my back teeth were all pretty much sitting at a 45 degree angle instead of upright. Braces fixed it but there still wasn’t too much of a visual difference between before and after. You kind of need your teeth to be working properly to eat and all…insurance wouldn’t cover it unless they thought it was medically necessary. Furthermore, braces aren’t nearly as invasive as surgery, they’re just bits of metal glued on your teeth for a few years.</p>
<p>Working out shouldn’t even be considered at all. Since when is being healthy a sign of vanity?</p>
<p>I think plastic surgery is alright if you’re trying to achieve normalcy, like if you were born with some kind of deformity or injured in a car accident or something like that. Beyond that, it’s just vanity. You’re perfectly entitled to be vain and buy yourself a whole new face if you really want to, but don’t expect me to think you any better for it.</p>
<p>For me, braces are a necessity, not something I did because I wanted to. My teeth were perfectly straight but my overbite was so bad that I would natually bite down on the insides of my mouth and cause it to bleed. This went on for several years before it got really unbearable.</p>
<p>Basically, I agree with Chedva. If it’s medically necessary, then it’s fine but otherwise, no.</p>
<p>I’m not surprised at many of the responses, given that from birth, we’re socially taught that good people are beautiful, and that beautiful people are good. Therefore, plastic surgery is like getting undeserved good karma. </p>
<p>I’m aware that cosmetic surgeries can be dangerous (breast implants that leak, liposuction that’s done haphazardly, etc.), but I believe we’re not far away from an era of non-invasive surgery. We may live to see a world where nose jobs and facelifts can be done by a few irritating lasers. If plastic surgery does indeed become very safe and non-invasive, what separates it from applying makeup? Or many grueling hours in the gym? Or the pain of getting braces? Our prejudices, that’s what.</p>
<p>When I hear people coming out against plastic surgery, whether it is safe or not, they usually say things like, “Then how can we differentiate between natural and unnatural beauties?” </p>
<p>Why do we hold natural beauties in such high esteem? Did they do anything to deserve it?</p>
<p>Yeah, I agree with grim. I don’t see anything wrong with plastic surgery, as long as you don’t overdo it, meaning no more than one procedure. If you have this really weird bump in your nose, or your lips are pursed in, or your ears stick out like dumbo’s, then why not? The problem arises when people have plastic surgery over and over again to achieve a look that is unattainable (like those airbrushed magazine covers).
and what is beauty anyways? Am I more beautiful because I wear makeup and spend two hours straightening my hair than if I just wake up and run out of the house with sweats?</p>
<p>Well, looks matter only until your personality came out. Countless times I’ve thought someone was beautiful…and then she opened her mouth. The flip side is true too. I think it’s just how people are…they admire beautiful things but in this world, it’s getting to the point where you can’t just be beautiful. You have to have something else in you too.</p>
<p>Plastic surgery is okay as long as it’s corrective and not cosmetic.
Have you guys seen that show where they get a bunch of desperate old 40 year old fat women and cut them up and make them look completely different (and hot)?? That is the kind I think is not necessary.
Oh and Braces actually cure things. If a kid with ceooked teeth doesn’t put them, then the new teeth will come out on top of each other and ruin the gums…etc. so they are totally different.</p>
<p>if it was really just a matter of beauty, dont you think someone would take a boob job before straight teeth?</p>
<p>Seriously, medical issues are involved!!! Otherwise, insurance wouldnt cover it (lots of plans dont, but thats simply because of cost or whatever)…</p>