The desire to appear more attractive is universal, its permeating throughout history and in all parts of the world. Both men and women have gone through great lengths to try and meet the standards set by their society's and cultures. Plastic cosmetic surgery, as a from of beautification has been around for thousands of years, but only in the past century have people taken such drastic steps to change their body. Although the desire for beauty is universal, what is considered beautiful is not; it depends on the culture and society that one is from. In an attempt to become happier and more attractive, many people are turning to cosmetic plastic surgery, and the different genders and age groups all have their reasons for resorting to surgery. With the pressure to conform to our societies standards of beauty from the media; and TV shows that glorify plastic surgery and put a new person under the knife each week, it is no wonder that the number of plastic cosmetic surgery's carried out are on the rise. In fact cosmetic plastic surgery has quickly become the most common type of surgical procedure to be carried out. In some cases cosmetic plastic surgery can have a positive impact in someone's life, but for far too many cosmetic surgery patients things don't go as smoothly as hoped. Botched procedures, dangerous methods, and unqualified surgeons can lead to a potentially disastrous and even life threatening experience. For these reasons there should be an age restriction of 18 and older on anyone having cosmetic plastic surgery.

References Doctors Foster and Smith. (1997-2009). Retrieved February 12, 2009, from Live Aquaria.com: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1556&aid=467 (2005). The Merck Veterinary Manual 9th Edition. In The Merck Veterinary Manual 9th Edition (pp.319-324). Whitehouse Station, N.J.: Merck and Co., INC.