Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and exists boundlessly in various forms. Yet what happens when it ceases to be a virtue and transforms into a capitalist endeavour? Technological advancement has now enabled us to modify “beauty" into a malleable and customisable experience, often sold as a reproducible commodity rather than an inherent uniqueness.

The increase in demand for cosmetic or plastic surgeries has led to the “medicalisation" of beauty and aesthetics, wherein the slightest deviance from socially desirable ideal features is considered pathological and warrants “correction". Medicalisation of beauty refers to the method of describing and promoting cosmetic surgery as a medical process, making it more acceptable due to its illusory association with health and wellbeing.

Reconstructive surgeries were first used after World War I as a treatment to restore soldiers’ disfigurations from the gruesome aftermath. Its initially reconstructive nature was a boon that would bring “normalcy" and acceptance to those with disfigurations or deformities. However, in today’s contemporary world, cosmetic surgeries are the new alternative to enhancing one’s beauty. Cosmetic surgeries are often advocated as an expression of self-care and a means of enhancing one’s self-esteem. Opting for cosmetic surgeries is an individual choice and in no way a reflection of who one truly is as a person, yet it is a commercial trap many fall into owing to the way it is presented to the masses.

Capitalism has........

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