Should cosmetic surgery be banned? [ENDS 02/12/2012]

[Grig]

Should cosmetic surgery be banned?
Ends: 02/12/2012


Not going into to too much detail here, as I want you to be the ones relaying the views. Anyway, cosmetic surgery is said to enhance someone's appearance, particularly in women. This is become more and more popular and is spreading to new markets such as China, with record-breaking people going under the knife so far this year.

Some who say it indeed should be banned back themselves up with reasons that cosmetic surgery could have a pscyhological impact on the patient, it is dangerous, with some ending in disaster (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-158767/7m-payouts-plastic-surgery-errors.html) and it has a sexist element to it in the sense that cosmetic surgery is a symbol of society's expectations that a woman should be beautiful, i.e. have bigger breasts etc.

Those against a ban argue that it would go against the freedom of choice, cosmetic surgery has helped the development of reconstructive surgery that is useful to burn victims etc., banning it would not stop it and it would be done without regulations illegally and that looking good is part of society and we must accept such a fact.

Anyway, enough of me rambling on here, the ball's in your court to start debating.

[FlyingJesus]

The psychological damage in forcing someone to live with features that cause absolute loathing in themselves is far worse than in letting them know that they're able to change things that upset them in that way. Seriously that is a daft point to make, "tough luck live with it" is not a better message to give people in anguish than "ok cool let's see what we can do about that".

The dangers involved in cosmetic surgery are entirely between the doctor and patient - we don't stop people from driving cars despite them being tonne-heavy killing machines on wheels, we assume that people who drive them are aware of the risks and know how to control them. Similarly, people undergoing cosmetic surgery are briefed on all stages of the procedures and in a great many cases (most notably gender realignment surgeries) the patients are made to go through fairly intense periods of psychological preparation and training.

[HotelUser]

I am an avid supporter of the free market and I think so long as consumers stay informed they should be allowed to make cosmetic surgery purchases because they don't really harm other people, just potentially the person who made the informed decision to go under the knife in the first place.

[Explorator]

Personally, i don't think it should be banned. It's not something i would ever do to my body, but i'm a boy, so.. Whatever you want to do to your body you should do, because it's your body. But for some people who just do it for the fun of it like try to get KKK breasts should be banned because they aren't doing it because they're upset with there look, they're doing it because they want to them. I'm not one to judge but i think people with too much cosmetic surgery just look silly. IMO, you should have a limit to what you can do to your body. Not a strict limit, but a limit from people going totally crazy with cosmetic surgery. It's personally my opinion and everyone else has theirs.

[Subject]

I think because it's been around for so long it would be hard to start banning it now. There will always be the argument "He/She did it, so why can't I? Why didn't you stop them?"
and I don't think that "We're stopping it now because we finally realised it negatively impacts." Will be an appropriate response, regardless of how much truth the statement holds.
As long as people are making informed choices and understand the risks there are in undertaking cosmetic procedures then it's totally up to them.
But there should be a way of regulating the overseas plastic surgery market because that's where I've heard the most horror stories from. Because people have gone overseas for a cheap boob job and come home with busted implants or nipples that are a bit skew-if (technical term).
Ultimately though, it's up to the person paying the doctor for the surgery and I don't think there is much that anyone can do about it.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I agree with allowing people to do whatever they want to their bodies in a free society so long as the cost isn't pushed onto other people as it so often is, an example with the NHS where operations for transexuals (which I personally disagree with) are provided at the expense of other people.

So of course people should be able to do what they want provided others aren't forced via the state to pay.


I am an avid supporter of the free market

Eh? *rubs eyes* is this statement coming from the one who argued for a federal healthcare service in the United States? ... I'm also willing to bet you avidly support state education, high taxation on higher wages, the minimum wage, paternity and maternity leave and so on and so on.

The complete opposite of the free market but there you have it. :P

[Inseriousity.]

While I think it's sad that some people constantly strive for perfection on the outside rather than working with what they've got, it is ultimately their choice and I've never really understood the idea that banning something you don't approve of will instantly solve the problem.

[Gibs960]

If people want to do it then fair enough. They make their own decisions and it only affects them.

[HotelUser]

Eh? *rubs eyes* is this statement coming from the one who argued for a federal healthcare service in the United States? ... I'm also willing to bet you avidly support state education, high taxation on higher wages, the minimum wage, paternity and maternity leave and so on and so on.

The complete opposite of the free market but there you have it. :P

A lot of folks who have healthy beliefs in moderate free market systems think that public education is a good idea which helps fuel the market more than it puts it out...

[Grig]

I would actually ban it unless their better regulations. There has been a whirlwind of rage across Europe over the fact some silicon breasts cause cancer, and there was strong recommendation from the WHO to take it out ASAP to prevent that risk.

The latest news came out of Hong Kong about a month ago where one person died and more hospitalized over it: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/health/skin-&-beauty-/2012/11/22/361755/Five-popular.htm. It calls into question that even in these developed countries there is simply not enough regulation. I remember there was talk of banning it. Sure, you can make the choice and I am all pro-choice, but when lack of regulation is followed and there have been so many reports of malpractice, it's extremely worrying.

[Eric]

People who do cosmetic surgery are and should be well aware of the risks dangers of it but if they still want it so desperately then let them. If it's banned, cosmetic surgery will just flourish on black market and things will become worse. The surgery will become expensive and only the rich people could afford it, plus it will be done by not really competent doctors. Let people choose the appearance they want if they feel secure about it.

[Jurv]

no because people wouldn't be able to get fab lips like lana del rey