ParfumGigi@aol.com

America's superficial obsessions can lead to unsafe practices and a false sense of beauty "Mommy, please don't die."

I cried these words the night my mother told me she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

I still remember the tears streaming down her face when she looked into my eyes and promised she wouldn't.

But two years later, my mother lost the battle. I was 9 years old and figured her death was the result of bad luck.

It wasn't until years later, when I informed my family that I wanted cosmetic surgery, I found out the truth. My mother's breast cancer was linked to the silicon implants in her chest.

This personal experience changed my stance on cosmetic surgery forever.

Our generation is plastic-obsessed. Women now take pride in breast augmentation, bragging about the new "babies" they've purchased. Nowadays, teen girls receive breast implants for their 18th birthday instead of new cars. Women on their lunch break can make a quick stop to the doctor's office for botox to ease their fears of aging. People can even finance these procedures.
Although cosmetic surgery is highly practiced, it can also be highly fatal.

Two weeks ago, Kanye West's mother, Donda West, died one day after receiving a breast reduction and a tummy tuck. This publicized example proves plastic surgery can be as dangerous as other surgery.

Patients still choose to go under the knife, even when they're informed of possible complications. We live in a superficial world, no doubt. But is it worth it to take these risks?

These procedures are becoming so normalized that many people don't give it much thought.
We're surrounded by photographs of "perfect" celebrities and are drawn to their sex appeal. After all, if we looked like that we'd be happy, right?

But most people can't fit the standards of a movie star or model.

While many models receive cosmetic surgery, graphic designers also alter their pictures.

Human beings can't look like the perfectly airbrushed photos in magazines. Sadly, women put these pictures on a pedestal and keep them in mind as an ultimate goal.

While we spend time trying to fulfill that image, we forget that our soul makes us truly beautiful. Personality should outshine anatomy.

No amount of plastic surgery can compensate for what's inside.

The images of "ideal" people won't die out. As long as sex sells, it will continue to be shoved in our faces.

In today's society, we must learn to not buy into these images. Although insecurity can be a major issue, we shouldn't jeopardize our health to solve it. My mother didn't need silicon implants to prove her beauty. She lost her life because she fell victim to insecurity. At the end of the day, botox and liposuction won't prove a thing.

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