Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine

In this post-modern world, there is a recognisable bent in the media to promote the idea of youth (read as synonymous with beauty and power) to the fullest. The result is that public perceptions of the normal bodily processes of aging are viewed as detrimental or unattractive. Since we are “social c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Donna Knapp van Bogaert, Gboyega Ogunbanjo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2008-02-01
Series:South African Family Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1027
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849340811076960256
author Donna Knapp van Bogaert
Gboyega Ogunbanjo
author_facet Donna Knapp van Bogaert
Gboyega Ogunbanjo
author_sort Donna Knapp van Bogaert
collection DOAJ
description In this post-modern world, there is a recognisable bent in the media to promote the idea of youth (read as synonymous with beauty and power) to the fullest. The result is that public perceptions of the normal bodily processes of aging are viewed as detrimental or unattractive. Since we are “social creatures”, as Aristotle put it, the mediasation, for example, in magazines, TV, film, fashion, music, etc. of youth as ideal is bound to impact upon our individual ideas of ‘what-is-good-for-me’. Since youth is viewed by society as a good, it is possible to understand an individual's desire to take advantage, when it is possible, of the cosmetic procedures that fortify this ideal. Moreover, since medical practitioners are part of the public, and no more or less swayed by such ideologies, it is also reasonable to assume that some will advantage themselves and take up the gauntlet of promoting youth, although perhaps in the more medical guise of ‘remedying the ills of aging’ in other words, enter the practice of cosmetic surgery.
format Article
id doaj-art-ce2a2c2516974fffad290dffe62147a6
institution Kabale University
issn 2078-6190
2078-6204
language English
publishDate 2008-02-01
publisher AOSIS
record_format Article
series South African Family Practice
spelling doaj-art-ce2a2c2516974fffad290dffe62147a62025-08-20T03:43:47ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042008-02-01501505210.1080/20786204.2008.10873666855Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of MedicineDonna Knapp van Bogaert0Gboyega Ogunbanjo1School of Clinical Medicine, University of the WitwatersrandDepartment of Family Medicine and PHC, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of LimpopoIn this post-modern world, there is a recognisable bent in the media to promote the idea of youth (read as synonymous with beauty and power) to the fullest. The result is that public perceptions of the normal bodily processes of aging are viewed as detrimental or unattractive. Since we are “social creatures”, as Aristotle put it, the mediasation, for example, in magazines, TV, film, fashion, music, etc. of youth as ideal is bound to impact upon our individual ideas of ‘what-is-good-for-me’. Since youth is viewed by society as a good, it is possible to understand an individual's desire to take advantage, when it is possible, of the cosmetic procedures that fortify this ideal. Moreover, since medical practitioners are part of the public, and no more or less swayed by such ideologies, it is also reasonable to assume that some will advantage themselves and take up the gauntlet of promoting youth, although perhaps in the more medical guise of ‘remedying the ills of aging’ in other words, enter the practice of cosmetic surgery.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1027cosmetic surgerypatientconsumermedical practice
spellingShingle Donna Knapp van Bogaert
Gboyega Ogunbanjo
Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine
South African Family Practice
cosmetic surgery
patient
consumer
medical practice
title Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine
title_full Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine
title_fullStr Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine
title_full_unstemmed Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine
title_short Cosmetic Surgery and the Practice of Medicine
title_sort cosmetic surgery and the practice of medicine
topic cosmetic surgery
patient
consumer
medical practice
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1027
work_keys_str_mv AT donnaknappvanbogaert cosmeticsurgeryandthepracticeofmedicine
AT gboyegaogunbanjo cosmeticsurgeryandthepracticeofmedicine