Recently, according to one body image study, 45% of men were dissatisfied with their physique, and women were more dissatisfied at 55%. For that reason, many people are having cosmetic surgery, and business is booming for cosmetic surgery. Because many people want to have the surgery, gradually the extent of the cosmetic surgery is growing--from breast enlargement to liposuction. On the other hand, there are lots of people that don't want cosmetic surgery since they think that looks can be deceiving. But I think sometimes looks can be everything.
        In the past, especially during the Choson Dynasty, all Koreans disliked to change their bodies because the body comes from parents. What is more, both men and women didn’t have their hair cut for that reason, so they all had long hair. Now, even though some people do not have long hair, they still have the past way of thinking and hate cosmetic surgery. They just emphasize that real beauty comes out of the idea of heart, not out of physical attractiveness. However, as time goes by, people who want cosmetic surgery are having it more and more. With the changes of time and the advance of culture, the ideal of beauty has changed a lot. People, especially women, like to be proud of their nice bodies, as when women go on a diet in order to wear short skirts and tight shirts during the summer. So there is a growing tendency to have plastic surgery. Besides, with increasing public awareness through media exposure and education, most people are becoming knowledgeable of the benefits of cosmetic surgery.
        Actually, beautiful appearance has a considerable effect upon success and happiness. It is common sense that a good-looking person is in a better position to get a job, to get a date, or to get married than a bad-looking person. So some doctors of cosmetic surgery departments suggest surgery to people who have a bad impression or can't get a job.
        Moreover, cosmetic surgery can be good for mental health since there are some people who feel pain because of physical problems. After having the surgery, many people have improved their self-assurance. For example, in America, half of the people finishing prison terms had cosmetic surgery to adapt themselves to a new society in the early 1990s. Surprisingly, the rate of second offenses reduced more than when they didn't have it. Like this, somebody who had physical problem could develop their social skills and resolved their physical problems through plastic surgery.
        In addition, we have been provided with a longer life span and a better quality of life by medical science. So, there are more elderly people than ever before. Some of them try to retain their youthful appearance through plastic surgery. Sometimes, sons and daughters propose the surgery to their parents as a present. I think it's a pretty good idea.
        However, cosmetic surgery does not always have good points. Sometimes people suffer from the side effects of the surgery. Their desire to be beautiful is so big that they overlook the bad points or the side effects of it. One of the bad things is to get poisoned by cosmetic surgery. According to one doctor's words, when people are very satisfied with the change in their body because of cosmetic surgery the first time, they sometimes continually try to change their body through plastic surgery. I even saw one woman on TV who had had cosmetic surgery a total of eight times. In this point, people should be careful and control themselves.
        Another bad point is the possible failure of the surgery. That is, the result of the surgery sometimes falls short of expectations, or sometimes people develop a complication due to cosmetic surgery. But nowadays, the cases are reducing because of the development of science. Furthermore, most doctors of plastic surgery departments advise about the surgery if it is good for the person’s beauty. Then people can be natural looking, predictable and beautiful.
        People often say that beauty is only skin-deep and real beauty comes out of the heart. So they think to have cosmetic surgery is a luxury and unnecessary. However, looking good makes one's self and others happy. Also, cosmetic surgery is the most effective and rapid way to a refreshed and more youthful body. Likewise, I think cosmetic surgery is neither a luxury nor a waste. But without mature consideration, it is easy to be dissatisfied by the results. So before having cosmetic surgery, people should consider carefully and follow their doctor's advice.