The Ugly Side of Beauty

I watched Channel 4's show The Ugly Side of Beauty. The show is there to investigate the cosmetic surgery industry and looking at the real side of the industry. As the show unfolded they gave the stats for how much surgery goes wrong, how dangerous it can be and basically how the industry is poorly regulated. What caught my attention was not so much the industry and the lack of care etc but what surprised me was the volume of women unhappy with themselves and seeking to fix this through plastic surgery. This is not a problem exclusive to women but it is a large problem for women. 

The part that made me the most sad was the teenagers. The presenter went into a group of teens and asked how many wanted plastic surgery and all the girls put their hands up. Summed up by one young lady who said she wanted it for herself to make her feel better about herself. I cannot tell you how my heart sunk. I have had the privilege of working with young people for over a decade and there is nothing sadder than having young people with no sense of identity and seeking it in all the wrong places. 

The presenter of the show said to one woman there is nothing wrong with wanting plastic surgery but.... I guess that really does put it into perspective. My mum always told me that not everything we want is good for us. But I am guessing not everyones mother told them that. 

I really don't know what to say about the sad state of a world that judges us only it seems by our outward appearance. It has turned our youth into people without a sense of identity or purpose or long sight. It seems that they are only interested in the here and now and that can lead to dangerous consequences for the rest of their lives. For me personally I will work wherever I can to help young people to realise their value and place their energies in something at will bring lasting joy. Too many times I have seen the pain of this lifestyle in people of my own age group if we can help those younger than us not experience this then we should do everything to stop it.