I was just looking at a gleaming photo of Chelsea Clinton and I noticed her perfect smile, obtained by painstaking years of braces. Suddenly, I had a question come to mind that I'd never really thought of before, but which suddenly seemed relevant.
What is the difference between braces and plastic surgery? Of course, I realize lipo can be life-threatening. But both are, for most people, done purely for aesthetic preference. And both cost a lot. But tell me truly -- what is the difference between getting braces versus any other single procedure aimed at altering your physical appearance?
And, no, I'm not actually looking into getting plastic surgery. I just like to ask these kinds of questions.
4 comments:
That is a very valid and interesting point. I think the only difference is social expectation. Pretty much every unnatural thing we do to achieve a certain physical aesthetic started as a purely elective, and possibly controversial, procedure.
For example, my grandma never shaved her legs a day in her life. While women may have been shaving their legs during her lifetime, and she may well have known that and speculated about it, it was possible to go through her life as a dairy farmer's wife who had hairy legs and no one cared or would have thought she was socially backward or weird in anyway had they even stopped to think about it.
I, on the other hand, having been born in a different century, grew up being culturally brainwashed to believe that my naturally hairy legs were, for some reason, gross and unnatural so I started shaving as soon as I could get me and a razor alone in the shower together. Fighting such basic biology as hair on mammals is just plain stupid, but I do it because society at large has decided that if I don't there is something wrong with me.
Braces have become the same thing for us. It is so normal that to NOT have your teeth "fixed" makes someone weird or unfortunate somehow. (As a side note, some orthodontia is important to a person's long term tooth health, but I'm assuming we are talking more about purely cosmetic purposes.)
Back to plastic surgery.
All this reasoning is a huge reason why I really wish plastic surgery was not an option...because I want it to stop while it's still at the option stage...because I never want to live in a world where young women get boob jobs like they'd get braces, where your insurance company includes a face lift with your 50th annual wellness exam, where any human who looks actually (heaven forbid) human is assumed to be either of a low socioeconomic status or just really weird.
Sorry, this obviously hit a vein. Just know this, I refuse to ever shave my arms, and I will hold out on bleaching my teeth for as long as is humanly possible. :)
I guess I see it all as an arbitrary acceptance of what aesthetics are ok to go for and an arbitrary puritan disdain for what is seen as "if you do that you're totally superficial'. Just a little bit of hypocrisy that we snub one thing and do another.
However, I do agree that the expectation of certain levels of maintenance and aesthetics can be a negative influence and undo burden on people -- especially women.
I think, for now, I am comfortable with the idea that people should, overall, learn to see the beauty that they have. Quirks are endearing. And so is individuality. And no plastic surgery actually endows you with confidence and self-esteem.
And I think it's fair to say, as far as personal implications, should I grow to be 50 or so and have boobs that naturally sag down to my knees, I won't feel so morally abhorrant if I think it's worth getting that "adjusted". :)
I'm just sayin....
I think there is a distinct difference between braces and plastic surgery, and that being the actual removal/alteration of bone/skin/internal organs. Braces are purely external (or as external as your teeth get), and on top of that teeth are an essential part of the body required for its existence...healthy, and arguably, straight teeth, are more likely to lead to better ability to chew, yada yada yada....healthier person.
I don't totally agree. It's true that with "surgery" there are risks that a person takes that they do not with getting braces, but fixing a gap between one's teeth does not make someone healthier.. And I think if you surveyed people who got braces, you'd find that the majority of people got them for cosmetic reasons - not because it improved their health.
Not to mention, there are also health reasons why people get cosmetic surgeries -- for example, women who have breast reductions because due to back trouble. It doesn't change the fact that it's still considered cosmetic surgery.
And if it's the risk that surgery brings which you oppose, which is valid, then do you have the same moral opposition to other unnecessary risks in life? -- like skydiving or riding motorcycles? Because those are very unnecessary risks.
Not to mention -- I think for dental procedures like braces, they may have to still give someone anesthesia-- and going under is always a big risk.
Nope. I totally disagree. I don't think they're very different.
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