Are Women Obsessed With Plastic Surgery?
If you ask any woman what she would change about her body, you will probably get a long list of flaws ranging from “large noses” to “flabby bellies.” In 2010, 9.5 million women underwent cosmetic procedures according to cosmeticplasticsurgerystatistics.com.
This figure reveals that many women obsess about their body. And why wouldn’t they? Society praises perfect women and looks down on flaws. Numerous magazines portray stars as role models for women. The average woman doesn’t realize that most of these famous women don’t look perfect in real life. Perfection is just an illusion created by lighting, camera effects and Photoshop. In an effort to look perfect, many women undergo various surgical procedures and some experience low self-esteem when their idea of perfection is not realized.
From 1997 to 2011, the number of cosmetic procedures increased by 197 percent. The most popular procedures in 2011 were liposuction, eyelid surgery, and facelifts, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Perfection can have a hefty price tag and women should carefully consider the costs before entering the operating room. Cosmetic procedures cost $10 billion in 2011, leading millions of women to incur in credit card debt.
If you use a credit card to pay for surgical procedures, here is what you need to know:
Plastic surgery is not always the solution: A surgical procedure can range from $2,000 to $8,000, and doesn’t guarantee optimal results. In some cases, women undergo expensive plastic surgery and end up unsatisfied with the procedure. Some women just won’t be happy with themselves regardless of the amount of surgeries they have because they have low self-esteem or a physiological disorder. If you are constantly unsatisfied with how you look perhaps your problem is not physical but emotional. It’s important to really consider if surgery will help your self-esteem and mental health before paying thousands for a procedure.
Consider the pros and cons of credit cards: Many times doctors persuade their patients to use medical credit cards because they receive commissions, but what many doctors don’t tell to their patients is that these cards have high APRs and retroactive interest rates if you miss a payment or don’t pay on-time. If you miss one payment your interest rate could reach 30 percent! Also, if you are late with one payment creditors could apply retroactive interest rates, which means you will pay interest in the total amount owed, according to Nerdwallet.com. Before obtaining one of these cards, read the fine print and check if the surgeon has an agreement with creditors.
Use low-interest credit cards: If you need a credit card to pay for a surgical procedure, the best option is paying with a low-interest credit card. In this case the card shouldn’t exceed an 8 percent interest rate. Applying for a new credit card with 0 APR introductory period can be a good way of paying for the procedure. Make sure to pay the card off before the introductory period ends to avoid high interest rates.