Why are black women increasingly going under the knife? “Sometimes black women take too much pride in admitting they don’t like something about their bodies.
African American women get plastic surgery for a variety of reasons, from aesthetics to lifestyle, reasons most can relate to. The tone of relief was evident in the voices of these women as they told their stories. But I’ve also noticed another underlying trend: that social media and the gaze of black men are unavoidable. One of our associates at an Orlando psychiatrists network contributed their thoughts to this article about black women and plastic surgery.
Here’s what they had to say in general: Social media is the number one culprit that comes to mind most when thinking about plastic surgery normalization.
“Black women are just like white, asian & hispanic women in that they want to look good.” Melissa Llewellyn, 33, a black woman from Philadelphia, can certainly attest to this. “It was a personal decision for me,” she says of her abdominal and thigh liposuction in 2016. She’s always been a professional dancer and Zumba teacher, but by the time she turned 30, “the size didn’t suit her.” The body acknowledged. Now she is back in the shape she feels most secure in.
The 36-26-36 bust-to-waist-to-hip ratio is also ubiquitous, and one influencer in particular is influencing black women’s demand for that hourglass figure: “Kim Kardashian has single-handedly achieved butt growth and Started a Revolution in Fat Grafting.
The Kardashians clearly represent the modern pinnacle of plastic surgery normalization, using largely black bodies as their muse. Curves were once the bane of the existence of the white American woman, a negative body type that only fits the kind of stereotypical Latinas and snappy black women. The Kardashians have made these penny silhouettes her physical ideal.
Modern plastic surgery emerged in the early 20th century to treat war wounds. For the first time in history, soldiers survived their injuries. As Dr. explained, plastic surgery was something that “could restore function and aesthetics.” It became a special form of rehabilitation that allowed people to live the life they thought they should live.
Most people are referred to an NHS plastic surgeon for their condition by a GP or specialist.
Plastic surgery is also possible privately, but can be very expensive.
It is always a good idea to speak with your doctor or specialist first when considering private treatment, although a referral is not necessary.
Plastic Surgery Techniques
Some of the techniques used during plastic surgery are:
Skin Graft: in which healthy skin is removed from an unaffected area of the body and used to replace lost or damaged skin
Skin flap surgery: in which a piece of tissue is transferred from one part of the body to another, along with the blood vessels that keep it alive; It is called flap surgery because healthy tissue is usually partially attached to the body while it is being repositioned.
Tissue expansion: Where the surrounding tissue is stretched to allow the body to “grow” excess skin, which can be used to help rebuild the surrounding area.
In addition to these techniques, plastic surgeons also use many other methods, such as:
Fat transfer or grafting – where fat is removed from one area and placed in another area, usually to correct imperfections
Vacuum sealing: This is where suction is applied to the wound through a piece of sterile foam or gauze to remove fluid and promote healing
Camouflage or cream makeup
Prosthetics
