In recent years, cosmetic surgery is no longer something that should be hidden, as celebrities and influencers have begun to openly publicize it. On the other hand, there are also concerns about problems related to lookism (appearance supremacy) due to casualization.
We interviewed plastic surgery practitioners and experts about the trends and merits and demerits of plastic surgery.
-
Chimero who invested 5 million yen in cosmetic surgery
Plastic surgery history of more than 5 million yen… What was the reason?
Chimero, a YouTuber (about 710,000 registrants) who has been publicly announcing plastic surgery since he was a popular blogger, spent more than 5 million yen on surgery fees. In an interview with J-CAST News, he revealed the simple motives that were at the beginning.
“For girls, makeup is so important that it leads to their motivation for the day. If you fail to apply eye tape (an item that creates double eyelids), your tension will drop dramatically, so if you do that, you can stably wear a beautiful double eyelid every day. I wanted to be able to do it…At the time, my childhood friend had double plastic surgery.
What was carried out was double shaping of the “buried method” that sews the eyelids with thread without using a scalpel. Not only did my make-up become easier, but I also gained confidence because of my complex and the good reactions of people around me. The reason for announcing the plastic surgery was partly due to the nature of my profession, but partly because I wanted to be a reference for people who had the same concerns. When J-CAST News confirmed the blog at the time, there were comments from readers such as “It was very helpful!”
Plastic surgery is now permeating men and women of all ages. Naho Tanimoto, a professor at Kansai University’s Faculty of Informatics, who has been investigating and researching plastic surgery for about 20 years, said that there are several factors that have contributed to the spread of plastic surgery, and that the “information society” is progressing. I answered the interview that it is related to the development of the media. She said that Internet media, especially SNS, has a great influence on young people.
Posts about plastic surgery are popular on SNS, and many people have “plastic surgery accounts” that specialize in exchanging information. On Instagram and Tik Tok, cosmetic surgeons who introduce examples of surgical procedures are also conspicuous, and “doctor influencers” with many followers are also born.
Awareness by age seen from questionnaire
Results of 2,000 responses to a survey conducted by Yahoo! News
J-CAST News conducted a survey of people in their teens to those in their 60s and above nationwide through Yahoo! Crowdsourcing, and received valid responses from 2,000 people. In response to the question, “How do you feel about changing your appearance through cosmetic surgery?” was over 36%.
By age group, the younger the group, the more tolerant it was for cosmetic surgery. Professor Tanimoto said, “We are in a transitional period, isn’t it?”
“For a while, it was taboo, and it wasn’t even something to say openly, but with this much change in awareness, it’s becoming easier for society to openly declare plastic surgery.”
Chiimero said of the merits of plastic surgery, “Simply put, if you pay, you can get rid of your complex.” “It makes me laugh, more positive, and brighter,” he said.
But Chiimero advises thinking carefully before proceeding. He raised three concerns: the fear that the results might not be ideal, medical troubles, and the possibility of sacrificing to cover costs. He also had the experience of undergoing surgery on the recommendation of a doctor, which another doctor warned was dangerous.
“If you do one, the next…” The risk of addiction
“It’s scary to become addicted,” he reveals the anguish unique to the person concerned.
Chiimero recalls, “When I was doing eye surgery, nose surgery, and contouring, I was a bit addicted.”
Although the burial method is easy, it is not always possible to maintain duality over the long term. After repeating the double eyelid surgery several times and applying a scalpel to the eyelids, he has repeated simple operations such as injecting hyaluronic acid into the eye bags and nose, to large-scale operations such as cutting bones and retracting the mouth. It is said that such a mentality was at work at the time.
“Isn’t it possible to get rid of a complex by having plastic surgery? I thought to myself, ‘It’s amazing! After all, balance is important for a face.”
“It’s like ‘greed’ plus ‘fun’. It’s fun to become cute and become what you want.”
At the time of full incision, canthoplasty, and drooping eye formation
Currently, he has calmed down and continues to perform maintenance treatments whose effects will fade after a certain period of time. Nonetheless, if there is time in the future, he would like to correct the parts that have already been shaped.
It seems that there are other concerns about the spread of plastic surgery. Professor Tanimoto says, “There is always the risk that the more casual plastic surgery becomes, the more lookism will accelerate.” Surveys show similar concerns more strongly among young people who are more tolerant of plastic surgery.
Results of 2,000 responses to a survey conducted by Yahoo! News
Professor Tanimoto says that if it can be easily fixed, it will lead to a “society where the standard of beauty remains the same.” However, as a causal relationship, it is also considered that “because there is lookism, plastic surgery” is important, and the way you have consciousness is important.
“If the judgment of beauty is not standardized, there is no need to feel complex in the first place. The best thing is that society can share the fact that there are various forms of beauty.”
There are also cases where parents force their children to have plastic surgery
One of the possible social issues surrounding cosmetic surgery and lookism is the job market. There is a possibility that companies will not add beauty or ugliness when hiring. Professor Tanimoto said that legislation to prevent appearance discrimination is also an effective measure.
There are also cases where parents try to have their minor children undergo plastic surgery. In such a situation, he expressed a sense of crisis that “respect for the right to self-determination” is necessary, and in serious cases, he recommended that the cosmetic surgery industry formulate guidelines.
“While being conscious of the fact that there are people who will be saved, society as a whole needs to pay attention to the spillovers and the risk of spread.”
In the questionnaire, not only women but also many men answered that they “have been discriminated against or evaluated because of their appearance.” Professor Tanimoto points out that lookism is a problem shared by men and women.
Results of 2,000 responses to a survey conducted by Yahoo! News
Responsibility of people who have undergone plastic surgery “I don’t think there is”
“Cosmetic surgery is a plus in that it saves individuals, but I think it would be better for society as a whole to ensure diversity (with respect to beauty standards). There is a gap, and it is difficult to realize it.”
Professor Tanimoto said, emphasizing that he “doesn’t think” that the plastic surgery person is responsible. He also says, “If we can all agree that eyes without double eyelids are beautiful or good, we will be able to live in a society where everyone can live comfortably.”
There are some people who are ridiculed on the internet by those who have undergone plastic surgery, saying, “It’s plastic surgery anyway.” Mr. Chiimero wondered, “I’m working hard to get the face I want, but why are you being so negative?” Starting with the cost, some people have mental conflicts before the surgery, and after the surgery, they have to fight with dull pain. He explained that he has overcome many difficulties, such as being unable to eat normally for a while.
Professor Tanimoto says, “It is important to create a society that does not ridicule or exclude other people’s choices and bodies.”
From the left in the photo, Naho Tanimoto and Chiimero (from an online interview)
This article is a joint project by J-CAST News and Yahoo! News. We use the results of a survey conducted by Yahoo! News. The survey was conducted on January 24, 2023 targeting Yahoo! JAPAN users nationwide.