Cut Up Culture: Surgery in the Spotlight
Is 17 too young? Underage cosmetic procedures have come under fire in recent months as the Kardashian Klan inadvertently drew attention to yet another social issue. This time, the spotlight was on the youngest sister and her lip injections in an episode of “Keeping Up”, with the revelation of something we already knew; even Kylie Jenner doesn’t have Kylie Jenner lips.
The idea of body modification is not new, and neither is the value of appearance. With the advancement of technology, however, the question is no longer “can you change that?”, but “should you?”. For some, the answer is more than skin deep. Transgender Youtube personality, Canadian Gigi “Gorgeous”, has had numerous procedures to help “[her] exterior to mirror [her] femininity inside.” In a video posted to Youtube, Gigi aims to normalize and remove the stigma around surgical procedures, assuring viewers that the surgeries were her choice, and to tell her “or anyone else...any different is crazy.” Normalizing and de-shaming surgery comes at cost, as one syringe of Juvederm lip injections rings up at about $600.
For 6 year old Utah boy, Gage Berger, the decision was not for gender identity but insecurity. First grader Berger was teased for his “elf ears”. Berger’s parents decided that surgery was the best option, fearing the bullying of children would “hurt Berger’s mental health in the long-run”, reports Complex news. The decision caused controversy among psychologists and parents alike, claiming that the first grader was simply too young. Kylie Jenner, in justifying her injections, also stated that her lips were something she was “insecure about for a long time”.
No one can argue that the awkward years of adolescence are not helped by a gawky and awkward appearance, but if you’re underage should you really go under the knife? And with Americans spending an estimated $2.4 million on Botox in 2014 alone, many ask the question why do we care, and it is even worth it? However, for Jenner, Gage Berners parents, and countless others, it definitely was.