What is with the Obsession about Appearances?

The obsession today with physical appearance has gone too far. Society puts too much emphasis on weight, on fashion, on beauty. There is a problem with young people in western society because, although obesity is a common problem, it is more and more fashionable to be super-skinny. It seems to me that everyone has to look the same; clones of a high form of beauty. This ideally is tall, strong, angular men, and fragile, blonde girls. 

However, there are some people who want to be more like their ideal, using aesthetic surgery, botox and liposuction. Young girls who have large noses want reductions, since big noses are considered ugly. Unfortunately this has become very common. Moreover, bald men have worries about their appearance and spend a lot of money on expensive products to try to grow more hair. But in reality, the most dangerous problem is collagen and botox. Because its such a new process, we don't have any idea what it could do in the long run. Botox is a toxin, and insecure women who take it could die from a horrible disease later on. 

According to a study carried out in Madrid, only 15% of men show interest in women who have had aesthetic surgery, women without wrinkles or cellulite. Its true that to the majority of men, a natural appearance is best. There is a famous saying; boys will ask for a picture with no clothes, men will ask for a picture with no make up. However, girls continue to doll themselves up for hours before going out. They have fake nails, hair extensions, false lashes and orange skin... None of that is natural or even a little bit attractive. But these girls still seem to think they look beautiful to men in our society when they look like Barbie! 

I would say that there are some occasions when aesthetic surgery could help people: firstly, to improve the self-esteem of insecure or morbidly shy people; secondly, to fix the results of an accident or a burn; thirdly, and finally, for people who look like one thing, but feel like something else, for example a sex change. 

These advantages are the reasons for which aesthetic surgery is still legal. However, it does nothing to protect out young minds from the problems associated with physical appearance in our society today. It is important that we teach children the importance of feeling happy with the way they look and not change that to feel more like every one else. Instead it is better to be unique and individual. Therefore in my view, the obsession with physical appearance today is ridiculous, and leads to an introverted and timid mind.