The Plastic Grotesque: Uncanny Beauty
Introduction
If we wanted, we could track cosmetic beauty enhancements back to the early days of civilization, but that could trigger academic minutiae. Instead, we'll cover general observations on homeopathic and medical approaches that have led the way for cosmetic surgeries and self-corrective fads to emerge on the social scene.
World War I and II:
Soldiers coming home from the war with disfigurements often turned to cosmetic surgeries to reconstruct their wounded faces.
1950s
With Hollywood glamorizing sex symbols, such as Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, breast implants were sought after by those who could afford the expensive and risky procedure. Risky because the sponges used for augmentation hardened and caused pain and infection. Blacks in the movie and music industry had "conks", a chemical formula containing lye, which when applied directly to the scalp to straighten out curly hair, risked severe burns and permanent hair loss and scarring.
1960s through 1970s
Rhinoplasty and Facelifts followed as Plastic Surgery competed with Cosmetic Surgery. Plastic surgery reconstructed the face for aesthetic purposes, while Cosmetic surgery tried to rebuild what was lost in accidents or war wounds. PS restructures the nose, for instance, to reduce its size to something more appealing for the patient. CS rebuilds the nose to as close to its original form before the damage was done to it. The cosmetic industry sold over-the-counter creams and ointments designed to "tighten" skin and give the appearance of wrinkle-free features. Supplemental vitamins joined the market with promises that their "drugs" could reduce years off one's appearance. Risks were reduced for side effects but the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rarely approved such creams and vitamins.
In the years that followed, we saws the introduction of Botox, weight loss drugs, and miracle messages performed by homeopathic healers. The door was opened for even more promises of beauty by means other than genetics.
Today
LooksMaxing is a combination of self-inflicted damage to the face and body to achieve a perceived beauty and attractiveness. Based on social media reports, both pro and con, the achieved effect of these techniques is wholly open to interpretation whether or not it can be described as "beauty". It's basically homeopathy gone rogue. No promises of healthiness--only attractiveness to the opposite sex. Although I could list the many procedures of the self-harm one must perform on one's self, I'll name only one. Breaking your cheekbones with a hammer so that they can heal into a new structure for a look of perfection, like super-model high cheekbones. I don't need to explain the danger of hitting yourself in the face with a hammer. But one can simply ignore this risk when the result is a beautiful face. And therein lies the illusion of perfect beauty.
