Plastic surgery is obviously an unnatural way to seek what we think as perfection or at least, improvement of the outer appearance. However, what contradicts me is that sometimes, for some reasons and under certain situations, I think that there is no wrong with wanting to alter your looks.

Being extra-cautious of your image is part of going through puberty for most teenagers. We especially mind about how others look at us and what they think of us. The media is also influencing our still-growing mind.

That makes many teenagers consider to alter and perfect themselves to their desired looks.

The media is dangerous, time and again brainwashing the society, especially the young ones, about what are seen as beautiful or ugly. They are capable of creating illusions as though you have to be physically attractive to survive in this world. Teenagers have to be careful not to be too obsessed with styling and dolling up themselves. There are more things for us to spend our energy on.

When we finally grow up and become a mature adult, though, we would have our own thinking. It would be interesting to find that would start to think: Were we investing too much time and effort in our physical appearances as teenagers?

What priorities more is of course our attitude and character. Although looks do matter, but I think caring about how we carry ourselves (neat, tidy, smart looking and not sloppy) is all we need to take note of.

Everything has its exceptions. Because of such things called ‘discrimination’ and ‘aesthetical views of the society’, people (or teenagers) who look like Frankenstein or simply has the ability to scare people off with their “outstanding” looks may suffer from low self-esteem in this practical world. If their looks really affect their daily life and they would feel happier altering parts of their bodies, I do not see the harm of having plastic surgery.

Chia Ai Ying (04)