The Beauty Myth
3
have simply been conditioned into believing The Beauty Myth.
However, Wolf states, that medicine describes women as sickening and 'potentially sickening to men'[3]. If this is the case, cosmetic surgery should influence them to become more like men. However, cosmetic surgeries have usually centred around making a women more feminine, such as larger breasts. Wolf briefly addresses this when she states, 'How can an 'ideal' be about women if it is defined as how much of a female characteristic does not exist on the woman's body, and how much of a female life does not show on her face?'[4] Nevertheless, it is a question that needs further scrutinising. While Wolf believes The Beauty Myth will only continue to grow in the future, perhaps making women aware of this question will allow them to see through the myth.
Furthermore, the fact that celebrities are still secretive about having surgery done there is more media coverage about plastic surgeries going wrong, it is clear that the idea of cosmetic surgery IS changing and beginning to be challenged; perhaps as a result of Wolf's book, The Beauty Myth.
[1] Naomi Wolf, The Beauty Myth (London: Chatto & Windus, 1990), p. 212.
[2] Wolf, p. 182.
[3] Wolf, p. 183.
[4] Wolf, p. 193.
Lip gloss named 'Lip Injection' - An example of a beauty product that compares itself to cosmetic surgery.