Nothing’s ever simple nowadays. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly?) even plastic surgery’s entered into the fold of the culture wars.
The culprit? Asian double lid surgery.
There are more than a few articles about the procedure, and the pressure of Asian women to “westernize.”
It’s worth taking a moment to get some straight talk from plastic surgeons. Westernization or not?
The Myth That They’re Trying to Westernize
According to New Beauty, at least one plastic surgeon from San Jose thinks not. In fact, he says, the notion itself is a bit racist.
According to him, patients want to bring out their own eyes. Not become something else.
The logic that the procedure is racist is certainly worth questioning on its face.
If an Asian patients wants to modify the shape of their eyes to accentuate their aesthetic, why is that trying to look “more Caucasian?”
The cultural association of bigger eyes with innocence may find its roots in deeper biology.
Which would make the idea of double lid surgery being “racist” preposterous.
We might well blame Disney and its doe-eyed princesses, or Japanese animation with its characters that have huge, sparkly eyes.
Pressure to Get the Surgery?
Regardless, it is definitely NOT okay for anyone to feel pressured to get the surgery. Hollywood is no stranger to putting starlets under pressure to change their looks.
To the degree that in the business of Hollywood there’s no such thing as a change in look with no audience, there will always be some duress.
But patients should know that the decision is theirs. To change their look, or keep it. To age gracefully, or to turn back the clock.
Want to know if double lid surgery might be right for you–with no pressure at all?
Make sure to talk to a specialist who has your best interests at heart.