In his novel The Good Guy, author Dean Koontz writes, “Appearances are not reality, but they often can be a convincing alternative to it.” In the youth-driven culture of today, people who see signs of aging in their appearance may desire to look younger in the hope that others will perceive them as more vital and energetic. Also, the way people look often affects their confidence and how others see them.
Aging in a Youth-Orientated Culture
In a recent survey of Millennials, they were asked what age they perceived as optimum for a presidential candidate. The majority responded that they wanted the President to be no more than 40 years old. Their answer seems to indicate that older people are not considered wiser than others or even competent and relevant in society. So, with the changing attitudes about people over 40, older individuals often opt to have some rejuvenation performed on themselves to remain economically and socially viable. Often, too, if they desire a promotion, people will do what they can to improve their appearance. When they look younger, people tend to feel better about themselves and have more self-confidence, an attribute that encourages success.
Often, middle-aged women have cosmetic surgery because they want to recapture an appearance similar to how they looked were when their mates fell in love with them. In this effort, they hope to reignite the romanticism of the earlier years of their marriages. Older adults who are in good health sometimes begin to feel that their faces do not align with their self-identity. Weary of hearing that they “look tired,” they seek to rejuvenate their appearances and look more like how they feel. Young women who have cosmetic surgery may wish to improve the appearance of a particular feature about which they are self-conscious or which they want to make more attractive. Social media plays a significant role in driving cosmetic interventions. Also, viewing digitally improved photographs of themselves can lead a person to wish that he or she might look like the photograph.
Obtaining Medical Professionals’ Advice
Websites such as RealSelf can serve as an excellent reference for patients. They can seek advice from medical professionals about treatments they are considering. They also can view before and after photos. When they learn more about different procedures, people have a point of reference upon which they can base a decision about having cosmetic surgery.