(Newswire.net — December 20, 2016) — For the past few years, the public and the media have dealt with cosmetic surgery by mocking those who’ve gone too far or judging those who try to hide to hide their procedures.
Katie Price, Donatella Versace, Pete Burns – all have fallen victim to crushing headlines picking apart every inch of their appearance and suffered years of tabloid speculation about what exactly they’ve had done.
Their harsh treatment has built a culture of shame and secrecy around cosmetic surgery that makes it difficult for anyone – famous or otherwise – to own up to going under the knife.
But in 2016 we’ve witnessed something of a cosmetic surgery revolution.
Changing statistics
According to statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, over 51,100 procedures were performed in the UK in 2015 – a rise of almost 13 per cent from the year before.
And as well as increasing overall, there’s also been a shift in the types of procedures being performed.
Whilst breast augmentation has retained its place as the most popular cosmetic surgery, the trend for implants has changed – the large, obviously fake style that ruled the 00s has been replaced with a more natural shape and smaller cup size.
This new fashion for a petite chest is also reflected in the 13 per cent rise in breast reduction surgery.
Celebrities speaking out
Even more important than the increasing amount of cosmetic procedures being performed is the growing number of young celebrities openly discussing their surgery successes.
After having a nose and boob job – and being subjected to some cruel social media speculation – Iggy Azalea proudly spoke out about her appearance to Elle Canada:
“I think, in 2016, people should be more accepting of the fact that both famous and non-famous women are having cosmetic procedures. That’s just the reality. And I think more people need to admit that **** so it doesn’t have to be so taboo – because we’re all doing it anyway.”
But the biggest cosmetic surgery champion of 2016 has to be Kylie Jenner, whose infamous lip fillers have made her a modern pop culture icon.
Despite initially hiding her treatment, the reality star has now publicly admitted to undergoing lip enhancement, and instead of bowing down to online bullying has turned her new look into a beauty and makeup empire – her lip kits tend to sell out within minutes of launching.
The new face of plastic surgery
Both celebrity’s public acknowledgement – and celebration – of their cosmetic surgeries has gone a long way in reducing the stigma and attitude that previously surrounded it.
Instead of being a secretive way of fighting signs of aging, young women like Azalea and Jenner are openly using boob jobs and lip fillers to change their self-image simply because they want to.
Whilst it’s good for the self-esteem of others who’ve gone under the knife, it’s also making the cosmetic surgery industry as a whole more transparent – as interest grows, improvements in procedures and products continue to make it better and safer.