13 Comments
Jun 27Liked by Charlotte Dune

With a parent in the medical field and inside knowledge of the real risk of any surgery, I’ve always seen cosmetic/elective surgery as the domain of the uninformed (that’s my version of trying to not be judgmental). I’m appalled when I see my close friends, as we age, begin to look nothing like themselves and more and more like a Kardashian. All I see is “the work,” not the human, which also leads me to a certain level of disgust with myself. That being said, I’ve indulged in injecting myself with “the tox” from time to time so who the eff am I to judge?

The idea of recoding my dna, or what have you, to make me more beautiful seems about as dangerous as anything else.

Also, this idea immediately had me thinking of the parallels of “beauty remedies” and our society’s current use and over-reliance on SSRIs and SNRIs. Technology doesn’t change our basic human and animal natures…quick fixes and a quick hit drive us and ultimately lead us back to the beginning…simply to crave a permanent state of joy/happiness/bliss. Something which is never, ever going to be attainable no matter the technology.

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“The domain of the uninformed” what a great phrase! I do think often people’s first surgery is plastic surgery and so they really can’t fathom what they’re getting into. I had the misfortune of needing a tumor removed when I was 17, so after that I was pretty fearful of any form of surgery, but without that fear it can seem really casual in today’s age of everyone getting work done.

The tox (lol to that nickname too) — while I haven’t done it myself, I sense it’s way less painful and less risky, so that may stick around for a long time.

And love the jump to thinking about beauty programming like pharmaceuticals. I sense it will become like this, as causal as taking a pill, but like you said, there is no free pharmaceutical lunch, every action has a reaction and the body seems to always try to fight back.

Plus, I’m sure we won’t be able to predict every effect or longterm effect of new beauty technologies.

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Jun 27Liked by Charlotte Dune

That’s a good point about “people’s first surgery” and makes sense! It seems so easy, if you’ve never gone through it. I was lucky enough to require a tonsil and adenoidectomy at age 11. DEFINITELY left me wary of having surgery anytime in the future unless completely necessary.

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Same. Yet even knowing and thinking all this, I still find myself sometimes tempted to get plastic surgery! The pressure to “look better” is real!

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Jun 27Liked by Charlotte Dune

100% the same here….I’ve already told myself an eye lid lift or neck lift are not out of the realm of possibility one day in the future. And don’t get me started on what I invest in skincare and facials. Cringe-worthy. We’re all susceptible it’s only our thresholds for invasive procedures that is different. Also, some of it is a matter of subjective tastes. I think filllers and fake boobs are generally just bad looking. Just my opinion. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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lol similar but I like the fake lips. Haha. Honestly I would prob do it all if it was easier and less painful.

The lower bleph is the one that tempts me, but I know I’m probably the only person that cares about my under eye bags… like fixing one thing isn’t going to suddenly turn me into a super model at age 42. So it’s like, why bother? That’s my hagitude. Pun intended.

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“quick fixes and a quick hit drive us and ultimately lead us back to the beginning…simply to crave a permanent state of joy/happiness/bliss. Something which is never, ever going to be attainable no matter the technology.”

Brilliant! Love this.

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Jun 27Liked by Charlotte Dune

We will look back in horror, I already do regarding the breast implants I had and removed after way too long. It’s damn expensive to reverse, even when they are killing you, literally. They looked off to me from the jump, felt awful, and I never got used to them, not really. When I realized they were making me sick, game over, I just want my life back, give me debt and my lopsided, worse for wear set any day! Whew

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Yes! I feel you. Ugh sorry you went through that! There is a lot of pressure to get procedures and they seem so exciting and hopeful, but I know quite a few people who have had things reversed. Or feel like they need to, but haven’t done it yet.

One only needs to watch Botched…

I too want my old ones back, lol, but I only have childbirth and breastfeeding to blame. 😂 So, nothing I can do about that! At least not until we get aesthetic programming…

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Jun 27Liked by Charlotte Dune

Here here, lol. Yep, I breastfed for almost five years combined with my two, I’ll be open to this programming 🙃

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Jun 27Liked by Charlotte Dune

I wish I could get my fat to move from my chin into my cheeks. But it would be a losing battle, even with plastic surgery. So I try to accept it as is!

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Good to be one with acceptance! I’m also on the acceptance bus, but one of the MANY suggestions of the facial rebalancing surgeon was to lipo my chin and put the fat under my eyes.

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ha, my instinct was right. Guess I should've become a plastic surgeon.

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