Ladies' Room Post
Nov. 26th, 2008 07:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
threadwalkerUsually I lock these to the women only, but this one is not locked and the men can chime in.
I'm very interested in what people think, especially those who feel the side-effects of age creeping in.
Over a series of weird conversations in the last few weeks, the topic of cosmeitc enhancements came up.
Let me add that doing long days trapped on the manufacturing floor seem to trigger "conversation" and that I was working with women engineers. When working with men, the topics usually revolve around sports, cars, rock-bands from the 80s (in a "name that tune" sort of way), repressive mother-in-laws, the crazy things wives/kids/pets do and dream vacations.
So one of the recurring threads with women was physical degradation due to age and the cosmetic enhancements available for aging, skin care, sagging body parts (that were previously perky), etc.
Face lifts:
I was shocked at the woman who said she was planning a face lift in a few years. I thought she was in her early-mid 30s, but she's 42. And she is seriously thinking face lift. I look older than her. (gasp! oh no! Do I need a face lift, too?)
Turns out the Crazy Cat lady is really 70 and has had 2 face lifts and numerous laser surgery on her chest/neck/eyes. I guess it works because she looks like she's in her mid 50s. She let someone else (not me!!) touch the clips in her scalp from the face lifts.
ewwwww! I totally get bumps all over and do the "ick, bugs are crawling on me"-dance when I think of that. gross.
But there it is, she's taken off nearly 20 years. Her eyebrows are in a sort of "up" position which explains the enquiring expression she has all the time. I can't stop staring at her scalp wondering if I'll see the clips peaking out through her hair.
I understand wanting to look young (isn't that why I use facial serum w/ retinol in it every morning and then apply sunscreen before going out?). But right now I can't personally overcome my freak-out over scalp clips to even consider this option. Which is why I'm so stunned that someone who's only 3 years older than me is planning one around the time she's 45. I'm boggled. Maybe when I'm 55 this will seem less creepy. ... maybe... but don't count on it.
As for nose jobs, cheek bones, eyes, lips, etc, we didn't cover it in our conversatoins. But I don't really have an opinion either way. If you have a facial feature that makes you feel like a social reject, then I'm all in support of fixing it. People react to our faces and it strikes us at our core when we feel ugly or socially unacceptable due to a feature we have no control over. (I draw a distinction between aging and things like noses; aging happens to everyone whereas noses are equipment we're born with). That said, my mom was always talking about getting a nose job and I happen to love her just the way she is; I wouldn't love her more due to a new nose and told her that whenever she asked me.
Lipo-Suction
One of the women has had lipo-suction and swears by it. I'm a skeptic. Easy off - Easy on. What's the point of lipo-suction if you don't change your life style? I would think that it comes right back on if you don't make bigger changes like diet and exercise. To me, it sounds like a lot of discomfort with short-term pay back. I don't think it would be used for general health risks due to over-weight; I think stomach stapling is the preferred solution these days for that. So unless you're a bathing suit model (or Demi Moore) and millions of dollars are on the line, I really don't see the point.
Maybe someone else has insight.
Boob Jobs
... bigger, perkier, lifts, etc (not related to post cancer reconstruction)...
In theory, I don't see any problems with this. I do understand how sagging is something you have no control over and if you really really hate that part of your body, then they have the technology to do something. Since I spent high school and Jr College as an A-cup, I understand the social fall-out of being a flat-chested woman; it's no fun and you don't get treated the same. So this doesn't creep me out or make me uncomfortable when people get one. It's probably in part because I know enough breast cancer survivors who've had reconstructive surgery and who've talked openly about it, it doesn't seem freaky to me.
Personally, I don't think I'll be getting one. I just hate the idea of being cut open and patched back up. If there was some sort of Logan's Run option where you could go in and have things done without having to recover, that would be tempting... I'd get cheek bones while I was at it. But actual surgery? Nah. I'm just not unhappy enough with the fall-out of aging to warrant the discomfort or deal with my fears. Besides, according to my inner cynic, one in eight women gets breast cancer, so pay for it and get it twice when I can get it for free in my late 40s?
Cosmetic enhancements.. there are so many anti-aging technologies, beauty enhancing technologies, and "things" we can do to change our appearance. It reminds me of that book I read last year about "body projects". Trying to maintain youth would be considered a body project. The author drew a connection between our obsession with our appearances and, initially, the installation of mirrors in most homes in the late 1800s. That was just the pebble that became the snowball; media, movie stars, advertisers, etc, have contributed to that snowball. And yet, I look younger than my grandmother at this age. I am stronger and in better health than she was. I'm already "younger" biologically if not chronologically than women my age 100 years ago, so haven't I already achieved the "forever young" goal by living healthy and having sufficient nutrition? Clearly it's not enough accrording to what we see on TV. I find myself pondering our cultural obsession with being "forever young" and the extreme measures people can/will take to be attractive and to be young.
I don't have any strong opinions either way about most of the procedures out there. Self esteem is a real thing and if someone really needs to do something in order to be happy with themselves, then I will clap from the sidelines (and refuse to touch scalp clips because some sharing is too much sharing). But I am fascinated with the array of things available and the break-point at which people are willing to go in and "do" something. I'm always curious about someone's motivation/goal for doing it; youth might be linked to career success/longevity, holding onto arm-candy status, snagging a mate, feeling good about one's self, etc.
I'm very interested in what people think, especially those who feel the side-effects of age creeping in.
Over a series of weird conversations in the last few weeks, the topic of cosmeitc enhancements came up.
Let me add that doing long days trapped on the manufacturing floor seem to trigger "conversation" and that I was working with women engineers. When working with men, the topics usually revolve around sports, cars, rock-bands from the 80s (in a "name that tune" sort of way), repressive mother-in-laws, the crazy things wives/kids/pets do and dream vacations.
So one of the recurring threads with women was physical degradation due to age and the cosmetic enhancements available for aging, skin care, sagging body parts (that were previously perky), etc.
Face lifts:
I was shocked at the woman who said she was planning a face lift in a few years. I thought she was in her early-mid 30s, but she's 42. And she is seriously thinking face lift. I look older than her. (gasp! oh no! Do I need a face lift, too?)
Turns out the Crazy Cat lady is really 70 and has had 2 face lifts and numerous laser surgery on her chest/neck/eyes. I guess it works because she looks like she's in her mid 50s. She let someone else (not me!!) touch the clips in her scalp from the face lifts.
ewwwww! I totally get bumps all over and do the "ick, bugs are crawling on me"-dance when I think of that. gross.
But there it is, she's taken off nearly 20 years. Her eyebrows are in a sort of "up" position which explains the enquiring expression she has all the time. I can't stop staring at her scalp wondering if I'll see the clips peaking out through her hair.
I understand wanting to look young (isn't that why I use facial serum w/ retinol in it every morning and then apply sunscreen before going out?). But right now I can't personally overcome my freak-out over scalp clips to even consider this option. Which is why I'm so stunned that someone who's only 3 years older than me is planning one around the time she's 45. I'm boggled. Maybe when I'm 55 this will seem less creepy. ... maybe... but don't count on it.
As for nose jobs, cheek bones, eyes, lips, etc, we didn't cover it in our conversatoins. But I don't really have an opinion either way. If you have a facial feature that makes you feel like a social reject, then I'm all in support of fixing it. People react to our faces and it strikes us at our core when we feel ugly or socially unacceptable due to a feature we have no control over. (I draw a distinction between aging and things like noses; aging happens to everyone whereas noses are equipment we're born with). That said, my mom was always talking about getting a nose job and I happen to love her just the way she is; I wouldn't love her more due to a new nose and told her that whenever she asked me.
Lipo-Suction
One of the women has had lipo-suction and swears by it. I'm a skeptic. Easy off - Easy on. What's the point of lipo-suction if you don't change your life style? I would think that it comes right back on if you don't make bigger changes like diet and exercise. To me, it sounds like a lot of discomfort with short-term pay back. I don't think it would be used for general health risks due to over-weight; I think stomach stapling is the preferred solution these days for that. So unless you're a bathing suit model (or Demi Moore) and millions of dollars are on the line, I really don't see the point.
Maybe someone else has insight.
Boob Jobs
... bigger, perkier, lifts, etc (not related to post cancer reconstruction)...
In theory, I don't see any problems with this. I do understand how sagging is something you have no control over and if you really really hate that part of your body, then they have the technology to do something. Since I spent high school and Jr College as an A-cup, I understand the social fall-out of being a flat-chested woman; it's no fun and you don't get treated the same. So this doesn't creep me out or make me uncomfortable when people get one. It's probably in part because I know enough breast cancer survivors who've had reconstructive surgery and who've talked openly about it, it doesn't seem freaky to me.
Personally, I don't think I'll be getting one. I just hate the idea of being cut open and patched back up. If there was some sort of Logan's Run option where you could go in and have things done without having to recover, that would be tempting... I'd get cheek bones while I was at it. But actual surgery? Nah. I'm just not unhappy enough with the fall-out of aging to warrant the discomfort or deal with my fears. Besides, according to my inner cynic, one in eight women gets breast cancer, so pay for it and get it twice when I can get it for free in my late 40s?
Cosmetic enhancements.. there are so many anti-aging technologies, beauty enhancing technologies, and "things" we can do to change our appearance. It reminds me of that book I read last year about "body projects". Trying to maintain youth would be considered a body project. The author drew a connection between our obsession with our appearances and, initially, the installation of mirrors in most homes in the late 1800s. That was just the pebble that became the snowball; media, movie stars, advertisers, etc, have contributed to that snowball. And yet, I look younger than my grandmother at this age. I am stronger and in better health than she was. I'm already "younger" biologically if not chronologically than women my age 100 years ago, so haven't I already achieved the "forever young" goal by living healthy and having sufficient nutrition? Clearly it's not enough accrording to what we see on TV. I find myself pondering our cultural obsession with being "forever young" and the extreme measures people can/will take to be attractive and to be young.
I don't have any strong opinions either way about most of the procedures out there. Self esteem is a real thing and if someone really needs to do something in order to be happy with themselves, then I will clap from the sidelines (and refuse to touch scalp clips because some sharing is too much sharing). But I am fascinated with the array of things available and the break-point at which people are willing to go in and "do" something. I'm always curious about someone's motivation/goal for doing it; youth might be linked to career success/longevity, holding onto arm-candy status, snagging a mate, feeling good about one's self, etc.
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Date: 2008-11-26 06:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 11:09 pm (UTC)