Student Name
Laura Hall
Course
Graphic Design
Supervisor name
Hamid Van Koten
Email address
L.Y.Hall@dundee.ac.uk
Date
30th November 2010
Working title (max 25 words)
The effects of celebrity culture and its influences on cosmetic surgery, and people’s drive towards the desire of perfection particularly in the youth of today.
Summary (max 250 words)
I have looked briefly into the history of cosmetic surgery and it first origins appear to be from as early as the WW1 when ‘artistic’ repairs were used to save soldiers fighting in the war. Cosmetic surgery also goes as far back as 800B.C in India when people who has their noses cut off as punishment had them restored. However, it all became much more common in the 20th century and the present day. Celebrity influence is a big part of the cosmetic surgery industry and it is all over the press and media and is brainwashing youths of today into thinking the only way to look good is to go under the knife. Although a lot of this is negative, cosmetic surgery is good for loads of people, and has its benefits in health and fitness for patients being recommended for surgery in aid to save their lives or for reconstructive reasons. However it can be a very dangerous tool if used incorrectly. Celebrity culture is a key area in the field of cosmetic surgery and it is responsible for the attitudes of woman and men of all ages about undergoing surgery all in the name of vanity. We as a economy are becoming ever more dependent on the media and this leaves us putting our own bodies and identities under scrutiny and we start to think of the possibilities of surgery to enhance our appearances.
Aims: Why are you doing this? (max 100 words)
My main reason for choosing this topic is because of a personal experience. I had a Facial Reconstruction Operation and although it wasn’t through vanity it was medically recommended I came through the operation with strong thoughts and feelings as to why people consider going through such agony purely for looks. Bad press, media and celebrity influence has alot to do with this idea of the ‘perfect body’ and as a graphic designer I would hope to help young people to understand that there is no need to go to such extremities, and make people aware of all the negatives of cosmetic surgery and how it is a life changing experience and not something to be taken lightly.
Objectives: What will you produce? (max 100 words)
My main objective in my dissertation is to produce a thorough explanation and analysis of the direct and indirect influences of celebrity culture on our youths. Another objective is to collect information about people’s own personal experiences of surgery, and their reasonings behind it. I would also like to collect, from people who haven’t undergone surgery, opinions and point’s of view towards it and if they would ever consider going through with surgery. Finally an overview of a small experiment hopefully with children and young adults, in interviewing and asking them to complete a questionnaire, and an experiment asking them to identify which out of a select number of celebrities would they says are ‘perfect’ or the best looking.
Keywords (min 5 and max 10)
Surgery, confidence, perfection, deformities, NHS, body image, influences, celebrity, media.
Annotated Bibliography (min of 12 books, articles, websites)
Blum, V. L., 2003. Flesh Wounds: The Culture of Cosmetic Surgery. California: University of California Press.
In this book, Blum looks into and studies all aspects of our lives and culture to see how we have turned our economy into a culture of cosmetic surgery. She also looks into what drives people into cosmetic surgery in the first place and what keeps people so fixated with celebrity aspirations.
Brooks, K. D., Henderson-King, D., 2009. Materialism, Sociocultural Appearance Messages, and Paternal Attitudes Predict College Women’s Attitudes About Cosmetic Surgery. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33, pp.133-142.
This article shows the relationship between cosmetic surgery being a very female orientated industry, woman’s attitudes towards surgery and the pressures woman are under to achieve such desired attractiveness.
Elliott, A., 2008. Making the Cut How Cosmetic Surgery is Transforming our Lives. London: Reaktion Books Ltd.
The main purpose of this book is to allow us to understand some of the main driving forces behind our cosmetic surgical culture, and how we are on the ever increase of cosmetic surgery on our country and all around the world.
Find a Surgeon, 2010. History of Cosmetic Surgery. [online] Available at:
This is just a brief outline of the history of cosmetic surgery, how it originated in India, then it goes on to explain its significance in World War 1.
Fraser, S., 2003. Cosmetic Surgery, Gender and Culture. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan.
This book looks at how gender and cosmetic surgery are related and how they form part of our everyday lives and not only for people who have already undergone surgery. Throughout the book Fraser has focused on 3 themes for cosmetic surgery discourse - nature, agency and vanity.
Haiken, E., 1997. Venus Envy A History of Cosmetic Surgery. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press.
This book focuses primarily on the history of cosmetic surgery and how it all came about. Haiken looks into the American culture in particular and how this gave rise to the growth of cosmetic surgery.
Jones, M., 2008. Skintight: An Anatomy of Cosmetic Surgery. New York: Berg Publishers.
This book looks into the areas of celebrity, media and reality television shows and their influences of cosmetic surgery on our world.
Plastic Surgery Axis, 2007. How Does Celebrity Plastic Surgery Influence Us. [online] Available at: < http://www.plasticsurgeryaxis.com/articles/celebrity_plastic_surgery.html> [Accessed 27 November 2010]
This website links our obsession with celebrities to cosmetic surgery and how certain people are influenced so much that they undergo surgery in order to look like their desired celebrity.
Reuters, 2008. Celebrity obsession harming British students. [online] Available at:
This is an online article detailing an harmful obsession British students have with celebrity culture and who and why they are aspiring to be like when they grow up. Believing they can achieve this celebrity status easily through a reality TV show.
Slevec, J., Tiggemann, M., 2010. Attitudes Toward Cosmetic Surgery in Middle-Aged Women: Body Image, Aging Anxiety, and the Media. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34, pp. 65-74.
This article looks into the attitudes of middle-aged woman in particular and what factors these women consider to be important in the decision making of undergoing surgery and improving their appearances. Particular focus is given the to ‘anti-aging’ cosmetic industry as this effects woman in this age group most.
The Celebrity Cafe, 2009. Is Celebrity Obsession Destroying our Society? [online] Available at:
This website looks into how we have idolized ‘celebrities’ in today’s culture and how we have such a obsession with the famous we often have headlines containing celebrities above world events.
The Rutherford Institute, 2003. Celebrity Culture in America Has personality finally replaced reality? [online] Available at:
This website looks into one of our biggest countries in the world and the contribution they have made to our fascination with celebrity status. Reality TV shows are very big in America and we find out here the reasons why and how it is affecting the rest of the world.
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