Plastic Stars: Cosmetic Surgery and Celebrities
No longer taboo, plastic surgery has become mainstream with shows such as Dr. 90210 (on the E channel) following civilians, porn stars, and want-to-be actresses as they go under the knife. The success of shows such as Extreme Makeover and The Swan (both no longer on the air) attest to the fascination with perfection and the extremes people will go to in order to look like a star. Plastic surgery, as a means of preserving youth and beauty, has become something of a rite of passage for those in the limelight. Hollywood prides itself on being a youth-driven business where work abounds for those you are young, or look young. Actresses such as Annette Bening and Emma Thompson, who have stated they will not have cosmetic surgery, find themselves with limited roles or roles intended for much older women.
According to Life & Style Weekly, stars such as Marcia Cross (Bree on Desperate Housewives) and Nicole Richie readily admit to Botox injections in their crows-feet, brows and forehead. Baywatch hottie Pamela Anderson openly admitted to breast augmentation (to a double D), subsequent surgery to bring the breasts down to a C, and augmentation back to her larger size. Drew Barrymore, uncomfortable with her double D breasts, had breast reduction at the tender age of 16 and has stated that “it was the most wonderful choice” she ever made. It is rumored that Jessica Simpson had a breast augmentation, going from a C to a round D – her publicists deny the surgery and admit only to a lip plumping.
While anyone can purchase lip plumping gloss at a local department store, celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton have chosen to plump up with injections of Restylane at approximately $500. A shot. Websites such as www.awfulplasticsurgery.com prints a laundry list of actors/actresses and the cosmetic enhancements they have undertaken – face-lifts (Cher and Joan Rivers), tummy tucks (Demi Moore and Patricia Heaton) and nose jobs (Tori Spelling and Jennifer Aniston).
Even men are going under the knife to preserve youth. Actor Michael Douglas has clearly had eye-lift surgery and a face-lift. The king of all cosmetic surgeries, Michael Jackson, has had numerous nose jobs (his nose barely exists), eye-lifts and facial reconstruction. Handsome star Burt Reynolds and sensual singer Tom Jones have both undergone face-lifts to repair drooping, aging skin.
Plastic surgery can become addictive for many stars that are under extreme pressure to look good at all times. Money is not an issue but perfection is; this search leads well-known actresses such as Mary Tyler Moore and Faye Dunaway to numerous procedures. A good example of such excess is comedienne Roseanne, who has had a nose job, chin implant, breast reduction, thigh and butt liposuction, face-lift and cheek implants.
In its continued search for the fountain of youth, Hollywood promulgates an ideal. Even if stars won’t admit it, cosmetic surgery has become a necessary part of the celebrity lifestyle.
