It has always been a part of being human to want to feel your best and look your best. For some, an exercise plan and a diet regimen is not enough; or many have tried but failed in vain. So, for those who really want to achieve their goal in appearance and self-image, a little help from medicine and science is an option to be considered. In fact, cosmetic surgery is getting more and more popular during the past several years. And with this popularity comes the social acceptance for those who opt to undergo surgery. The social stigma is fast vanishing and cosmetic surgery is little by little becoming an accepted norm. After getting surgery, one can be proud and need not hide in the closet.

Exactly how popular is cosmetic surgery getting? In a report posted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, says that within the years 2000-2007, procedures in cosmetic surgery has increased by 59%. Also, in another report from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in year 2007 almost 12 million cosmetic surgery procedures have been done and Americans have spend more than $13 billion on all these procedures.

Having something done on your face or your body to make is look better has slowly becoming accepted. If before, patients who just had nose jobs were not able to leave their houses for some time. Now, they are happy to tell their friends what they have just done and share the experience. The need to come up with a “little white lie” to cover up and explain why you have bruises and red marks from the operation is not that strong anymore. Many people who have just had cosmetic surgery can meet their friends and when asked, can openly say I just had surgery.

After the increasing number of procedure done in year, cosmetic surgery had become more and more accessible to the public. It is no longer privately done for the rich and famous anymore. There are currently more than 6,000 certified cosmetic surgeons who are practicing all over the US. Another reason why cosmetic surgery is becoming an accepted norm is because of its media exposure. Various TV shows talk about cosmetic surgery, the people who have had surgery and how it impacted their lives, and the number of reality TV shows all giving the public a clearer view on cosmetic surgery.

Because of all these, people are starting to adapt their “I don’t care” attitude towards cosmetic surgery. Little by little, the fears of being labeled as too vain, desperate to be beautiful, suffering from low self-esteem are disappearing. Although there are still some who fear these judgments, thinking that the bigger the procedure, the crueler the judgment would be, and the stigma of being judged as superficial is still very powerful.

But then again, if a number is doing it out in the open, why cant you? One can not forever be held captive in the fear for wanting to be beautiful, no matter what the odds may be.