“Time to get your summer body!”
It’s a statement that we often hear each year around April and May when summer is fast approaching. It is a lot of pressure right?! The bikini body, the beach body… why does summer have to be synonymous with our body shape and how slim it is or isn’t?
This phrase alone has caused anxiety and low self-esteem in many people, especially young women. We have seen an increase in BBL surgeries and various other bodily enhancements in general. This hyper-fixation of having a flat stomach and a big bottom has spread like a disease which has led to increased body confidence issues. More and more people are beginning to prefer modified bodies over natural bodies, and surgically enhanced faces over natural faces. Although some of these bodies and faces may be admirable or look pleasant, they are simply not attainable, and let’s not forget the risks of undergoing such types of surgeries.
The impact on our mental health
Something that is not spoken about enough is the mental health side of getting surgery. An initial motivation to get surgery might be to enhance confidence and improve one’s self-esteem, but few people have shared what they felt like after having surgery, and it’s not what you would think. In an interview on 777 Radio, Latto when asked about her experience with surgery said “I’m telling you, to all the young girls listening, all the women listening right now, I’m telling you from someone who’s been there, done that. Find peace within your natural state because you’re going to find a flaw and another flaw and another flaw and another flaw.” This is one of many celebrities who have spoken up about their regret about getting surgery. A common theme that has come up is that you are still the same person after the surgery, and it is not a permanent fix for what you feel and are on the inside. Let me leave you with this, as summer goes on, try to embrace your body, whether you like how it looks or not, it is the only body you’ll ever have so treat it with love. You will not gain confidence or high self-esteem under a surgery knife, but rather through a change of perspective, and only you can achieve that.