CosBeauty Magazine #103

COSMETIC ENHANCEMENT
There is increasing demand for cosmetic
surgery across the world, spanning
different cultures and ethnicities – and
long-held Western beauty ideals are now
being turned on their heads.
A recent review paper* examined how
Western beauty standards no longer
apply to all and may not yield satisfactory
cosmetic surgical outcomes for non-
Western ethnicities. The 2023 article,
published in Clinical, Cosmetic and
Investigational Dermatology, strongly
suggests that better understanding of
cultural and ethnic variances in aspirations,
aesthetic standards and attitudes towards
cosmetic surgery are needed for more
acceptable cosmetic outcomes.
The review summarises findings in
the medical literature pertaining to
cosmetic surgery and the diversity
of cultural and ethnic perceptions of
aesthetics in women. This comprehensive
analysis of 66 peer-reviewed studies
unravels the diverse preferences that
have emerged in different societies and
how they are shaping contemporary
cosmetic surgery practises.
‘As cosmetic surgery has become
increasingly popular, and patients
from diverse ethnic backgrounds seek
interventions to maintain the balance and
harmony of their natural features, beauty
standards have become more diverse
and vary according to cultural and ethnic
norms,’ the authors write.
‘Traditional aesthetic criteria such as
symmetry, averageness, youth and sexual
dimorphism may not be applicable to
different ethnic groups. Despite this,
aesthetic surgeons still rely heavily on
Western beauty standards to assess
aesthetics.
’To provide personalised and
culturally appropriate interventions,
surgeons must understand the changing
trends and preferences of the growing
patient population and appreciate
the diverse ethnic facial morphology
and physical attributes that appeal to
patients…
‘It is crucial to consider cultural and
ethnic diversity when assessing aesthetics
and performing cosmetic surgery,’ the
authors stress.
AS COSMETIC SURGERY HAS BECOME
INCREASINGLY POPULAR, AND PATIENTS
FROM DIVERSE ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS SEEK
INTERVENTIONS TO MAINTAIN THE BALANCE
AND HARMONY OF THEIR NATURAL FEATURES,
BEAUTY STANDARDS HAVE BECOME MORE
DIVERSE AND VARY ACCORDING TO CULTURAL
AND ETHNIC NORMS.