The conclusion in the Cosmetic Surgery section of the class notes states:
• Due to questionable and subjective benefit, is solidly a peripheral practice.
• Advertising crosses the line into unethical behavior.
• Therefore, cosmetic surgery, as it is practiced now, goes against and even threatens to erode the internal morality of medicine.
I would agree with the first statement, which states that cosmetic surgery is a peripheral practice. A peripheral practice implies that within the type of practice, all of the surgeries as a whole are not either medical or non-medical. While some procedures would definitely be defined as medically necessary, others would fall under elective surgery that has no medical need. I think cosmetic surgery falls clearly within this definition.
However, I disagree with the second statement. I don't think that advertising for cosmetic surgery by definition crosses a line into unethical behavior. It okay for cosmetic surgeons to advertise in an attempt to explain the reasoning and background, to explain what surgeries they perform, and to get their name out there. Many practices advertise. I have seen billboard for hospitals on the highway all the time. But there can be unethical advertising in any medical profession. An emergency room could advertise that at the first sign of feeling poorly you should rush to the ER. That would be unethical. The same hold true for cosmetic surgery. Advertising to promote cosmetic surgery in general is fine but what we watched in class I thought was ethically wrong.
So, if there is a way to advertise that is not crossing a line, you can no longer say that as a whole, cosmetic surgery goes against or threatens to erode the internal morality of medicine. The way some cosmetic surgeons advertise or run their practice would definitely erode the morality of medicine while others do not do so. So over all I don’t agree with the third bullet point.
I wrote my last blog on Cosmetic Surgery, as well. I think you make some very good points here. I agree with you on stating that Cosmetic Surgery is a peripheral practice. This is because there are people that definitely need Cosmetic Surgery like burn victims or people that were involved in some other type of body-altering accident, whereas there are other people that don't need the surgery. These include people who want a different shaped nose or other body part merely because they do not like the one they have now.
ReplyDeleteFor the advertising aspect, I do believe that it is alright to advertise for Cosmetic Surgery but the way that most practices advertise is usually in an unethical manner. I think there should be standards of how Cosmetic Surgery practices should advertise their business, including what they can and cannot advertise.
For the third bullet point, I have mixed feelings. I think that the encouragement of a practice to alter perfectly normal people's bodies is unethical. I think Cosmetic Surgery is only ethical when it is used on a person who actually needs the surgery. Otherwise, it seems like the practice of Cosmetic Surgery is one in which changes people for who they are and has us focus our self-worth on whether or not we are physically attractive.
I also wrote my blog on cosmetic surgery! I agree with the first statement as well. There are two options within cosmetic surgery: it is either done for business or done for medical purposes. I do not think advertising for cosmetic surgery classes the line either. It is essentially a business and that is how businesses get their name out there and make money. However, I do not think it would be acceptable for cosmetic surgeons to advertise illegal or very dangerous procedures.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the type of advertising we saw in class crossed a line. But I also think that the nature of plastic surgery advertisement in general crosses a subtle ethical line, because it takes advantage of questionable social norms. Maybe the most efficient way for the cosmetic surgery business to advertise is to take advantage of these norms, but that doesn’t make it right. (I know this applies to a lot of other businesses as well, but that relates more to problems in the whole field of advertising.) I think that this reflects badly on the practice of cosmetic surgery. However, it is a person’s own right to do what they want with their body.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well that the marketing of cosmetic surgery has taken the same form as many other "beauty" products such as cosmetics and hair care products. The issue is that cosmetic surgery carries so many more risks and permanent effects than products. Where do we draw the line in marketing health services with such large risks?
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I disagree with the advertising being not immoral. I think it definitely crosses those lines. It makes people feel horrible. They are pretty much saying, Hey you look bad the way you are so come to us and we can make you who you SHOULD be. What should anyone be but themselves? I just feel that because of advertising and the way it is done, that is why so many women and also men have issues with self-esteem. Many women today feel so much pressure that they need to look like someone or be a better them. I struggle with this on a daily basis to be exact and I know that if I did not have those media influences and people who actually live them out then I would not have as many self-esteem issues.
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