What on earth can plastic surgery give to you? 

Recently, it was reported that one of Chinese celebrities who is called Gao Liu ruined her acting career due to the failure of plastic surgery. So far, she didn’t receive any apology from the cosmetic clinic. Undoubtedly, two million yuan in compensation surely become an empty promise. Her miserable experience has promptly sent a clear message: if you pursuit beauty excessively, it'll backfire.

Nowadays, China's cosmetology industry is soaring, with operations such as plastic surgery on the increase. According to data from National Health Commission, in 2019， the size of China's plastic surgery industry reached 130.4 billion yuan, and a year-on-year growth of 26.85% compared with 102.8 billion yuan in 2018. In 2020, it is expected to reach 142.1 billion yuan.

However, there really is no such thing as a totally risk-free industry. According to "The White Paper on China's Medical Beauty Industry in 2020" released by iResearch, profit-driven businessmen are still rampant in the medical beauty and plastic surgery industry, with more than 80,000 shops in the industry carrying out illegal medical beauty programs across the country, which maybe have no operating licenses and professional doctors.

All of this provides convenient access to plastic surgery. Despite serious consequences, those young people still turn a blind eye to probable risks. Such tragedy is not an exception just in China. In 2017, there was a case in South Korea due to plastic surgery. More than 300 women who owed millions of loan sharks for plastic surgery had no choice but to commit crimes. Unquestionably, it has been becoming an important social issue which is worth paying global attention.

So why is the plastic surgery chased by a large crowd of young people?

Aside from the growing prosperity of cosmetology industry, to add a new dimension, accompanied by the obsession with beauty, an increasing number of youngsters come flooding in plastic surgery hospitals, especially for young women. An apparent misconception is deeply embedded in their minds, that is to say, a good-looking person will get more care and attention, no matter in daily life or a job interview. Both teenagers and adults are coming to realize that good looks really seem to be a "shortcut" to life.

Actually, this misconception might arise from the modern era. Nowadays, with the rise of streaming media and online platforms, online celebrities benefit from their beautiful and charming faces，easily making money in a short time. It is their big success that inevitably tempts young people into following them.

These situations mirror a thought-provoking phenomenon. If I have the chance to confront these young people, I will tell them “please calm down first and ask yourselves – what on earth can plastic surgery give to you?”

Just as the saying goes, beautiful skins are the same while interesting souls are one in a thousand. What should be kept in mind is that a beautiful face is not necessarily the key to success. Beautiful appearance can give people a good first impression, but poor ability and emotional quotient can make it fall apart overnight. Good looks can be a stepping stone to an ideal job, but not the touchstone of performance and achievement.

I remember a Romanian photographer Mihaela Nouroz. She has dedicated her work to capturing portraits of women from all over the world, and more than 500 of them have been compiled into a book called The Map of Beauty. The women in the photos have different hair colors, professions and ages. Some wear no makeup，and others are old and fat. Still, these photos are beautiful and touching, striking readers with their uniqueness and authenticity. The reason is clear. These women fully identify with their own lifestyle, accept their bodies and face the camera with confidence and simpleness. Suddenly it dawns on me that the definition of "beauty" should be infinite. It should include not only the appearance, but also the temperament and the soul, as well as the way everyone works hard for their dreams.

Cracking the trend of plastic surgery and merely calling on young men and women to reshape their aesthetic standards just scratch the surface. What needs to be corrected is the popular culture's glorification of beautiful appearance and the trend of "judging people solely by their appearance."

Stop chasing after the empty pursuit of appearances. Stop spending your money in the plastic surgery anymore. On no account can we come to terms with the illusion that beauty is the way to success. To improve ourselves in unremitting efforts and hard work, and to pursue the ideal life in continuous exploration and progress, is the right way to guide us to success.

This commentary reflects the author’s personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Global Engagement Academy Shandong University (Weihai).

Zhou Aojun, undergraduate student, Shandong University.

周傲珺，山东大学本科生