What is the point at which changing your appearance is considered vanity?

[pcordero]

We know things like nose jobs, breast implants, etc. could be considered pretty vain, but could a lot of everyday things such as putting on makeup, combing your hair, tanning, or treating acne be considered vanity in a sense?

 

[Chiltepin]

I am very interested in the answers you will get on this and I think they may vary greatly.

I don’t know the “right” answer but here is my opinion, those lesser things may become vanity if they are done to attract great attention, are costing undue amounts of money, or are taking over one’s thoughts in an obsessive way.

If it does not fit into the categories above, is not immodest and is not interfering with your spiritual life then it should not be a problem. Can you sacrifice those things out of holiness? Yes, especially the ones that cost money, but I don’t see the help in no longer combing your hair.

edit: still I may not have answered your question about it being vanity so much as if it is morally ok. A working definition of vanity would help in this debate.

 

[Pug]

A person who is vain in general might do any one of these things. A person who is motivated in this instance by excessive concern for their appearance also might choose to do any one of these things. But vanity does not have to be the motive for any of them. For one example, treating acne may be motivated by a desire to attend school in peace and not have food thrown at you while you study.

I’m assuming you mean “excessively concerned with appearance” and not “without effect or pointless” for the word “vain”.

 

[LightBound]

We know things like nose jobs, breast implants, etc. could be considered pretty vain, but could a lot of everyday things such as putting on makeup, combing your hair, tanning, or treating acne be considered vanity in a sense?

Treating acne? Seriously? Would you consider treating a skin rash or an infection to be vain?

 

[Chiltepin]

Treating acne? Seriously? Would you consider treating a skin rash or an infection to be vain?

I personally would not but I think that a lot of times when we come to these types of questions in our lives we are trying to grow in holiness. We often look to the saints for example which makes measuring personal appearance and upkeep a little difficult.

Was it St. Rita who left a festering wound full of maggots on her head refering to the maggots as her angels?

 

[aicirt]

I personally would not but I think that a lot of times when we come to these types of questions in our lives we are trying to grow in holiness. We often look to the saints for example which makes measuring personal appearance and upkeep a little difficult.

Was it St. Rita who left a festering wound full of maggots on her head refering to the maggots as her angels?

St. Rita needed her head examined in more ways than one. :bigyikes: A tad over the top.

Although I did hear that maggots are sometimes used to remove dead tissue. Hope that is what the good saint was up to and not trying to prove cleaning herself was vanity.

 

[TheDoors]

St. Rita needed her head examined in more ways than one. :bigyikes: A tad over the top.

Although I did hear that maggots are sometimes used to remove dead tissue. Hope that is what the good saint was up to and not trying to prove cleaning herself was vanity.

were and are, actually. Though they’ve found that once the maggots are through with dead tissue, they move on to living.