Breast Augmentation, Face Lifts, Tummy Tucks

[WhiteDove]

I had an 82 year old patient today who had an obvious breast enlargement at one point in her life. Boy, were her breasts hard and strange looking! Anyways, it got me thinking about the whole issue of plastic surgery.

I don’t know if it’s a sin, but it seems like the height of vanity to me to spend money on this sort of thing. I’m not talking reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy or other disfiguring event, BTW.

I mean, people are starving in this world, and vain, overfed Americans are pathetically trying to preserve their youthful appearance at great cost. Somehow, it seems decadent.

 

[puppylove]

While watching television last night, I was watching Extreme Makeover. These reality shows are plastered over the television. I believe it is not right to alter your body especially alter the way God created you. There is a reason you look like you do. God has a plan. :tiphat:

 

[rfk]

Not to mention there are a certain number of deaths every year that occur as part of plastic surgery. Seems sinful to put one’s life at risk for vanity.

 

[Miss_Piggy]

You might like to read Fr. Dubay’s book, “Happy are You Poor”. You seem to be on the right train of thought. I keep telling my husband there’s going to be a lot of good-looking corpses in their coffins. But in the end, no matter how hard you try, you’re going to get old and die. When you meet your maker would you rather be able to say, I gave $XXXXX to the poor (and He will say, "Yes, I see you have stored your treasures in Heaven) or I left $XXXXX back there in that coffin where it lies rotting? People don’t think eternally!!!

 

[meglin]

I agree with the opinion that plastic surgery for the sake of vanity is not right, but we should be careful not to judge the individuals.

God alone knows the true heart of the person.

 

[Paul_W]

meglin:

I agree with the opinion that plastic surgery for the sake of vanity is not right, but we should be careful not to judge the individuals.

God alone knows the true heart of the person.

I agree.

Also, some might complain that spending thousands of dollars on a lifetime of hairdos, facials and manicures is equally wasteful. The question would be, is it being done out of vanity, or simply to reinforce one’s self-worth?

 

[jvel]

We had a similar discussion in our Women’s Bible study a few months ago. Does wearing makeup mean one is vain? I think we concluded that if one enhances what God gave you it is not necessarly vainity (unless it is taken to an extreme of course). But totally changing your body (outside of reconstructive surgery) could be.

Right now I would like to whiten my teeth with those over the counter whitening strips, but I am having a hard time shelling out the money for that.