Saudi women and plastic surgery

Islam is truly a unique religion. In fact it is not simply a religion but rather a way of life. It has answers and solutions to all aspects of life clearly defined within the Quraan as well as the hadith or sayings of the Prophet Muhammed (saw). So what is the Islamic point of view with regards to plastic surgery? Well Islam permits plastic surgery only in certain circumstances or situations. If for example a person had an accident and became deformed then plastic surgery will be permitted or in the case of a friend of mine whose nose fractured by a door that was mistakenly banged into her and has now got some breathing problems, plastic surgery will be permitted to remove the discomfort. Skin grafts will also be allowed in patients that have been severely burnt. However, undergoing cosmetic surgery for mere vanity is prohibited in Islam. The hypocrisy that exists within Saudi society simply baffles me. On the one hand we have women who are covered up from head to toe and on the other hand these same women are now undergoing all types of cosmetic and reconstruction surgeries to look like women that have graced international magazine covers.Speaking to a well known plastic surgeon in the Kingdom a few weeks ago, I was told that in the past there may have been one or two cosmetic and dermatology clinics in Riyadh but nowadays more and more clinics have sprung up each one offering the latest state of the art technology in the field of cosmetic surgery. Saudi women are being admitted for all types of procedures ranging from Botox, liposuction, boob augmentations, tummy tucks, nose jobs and buttock implants.

Islam prohibits the plucking of the eyebrows as it changes a woman's facial features and yet there are many Saudi women who have had eye brow tattooing done. This procedure involves removing the eye brows permanently through laser treatment or temporarily by threading the eyebrows with cotton  and then replacing the real eyebrow with a permanent eyebrow tattoo.The tattoo is drawn with ink that matches the individuals skin tone and complexion. The total cost of the procedure is approximately SR3000. Tattoos amongst young Saudi women trying to imitate western movies stars is also very much a fashion trend here.The majority of Saudi women would opt for false nails coupled with nail polish which once again is prohibited in Islam.

Three weeks ago I had a patient who came for her pain medication after undergoing a "boob job". She was clearly in lots of pain and whilst we were chatting I asked her why did she go through this whole agonizing procedure. She told me that she had a breast augmentation done to fulfill her husbands wish. He apparently likes a fuller more voluptuous woman and hence convinced her to get a breast augmentation done increasing her cup size from 34C to 36C. She went on further to say that she was afraid of losing her husband as he could very easily leave her and get married to a more beautiful woman of his choice. I couldn't help but wonder in the back of my mind that you actually get such fake and superficial people in the world. I thought two people marry each other for love and that looks, money and materialistic possession is unimportant.I thought that when you marry someone you accept that person the way they are and love them the way they are. I guess I have the old school of thinking. I guess with a new world order comes a new way of thinking as well.....How ridiculous in my opinion.If her husband was my husband, I probably would have knocked his head with a frying pan and sent him off packing lock stock and barrel!!

Last month whilst dining out with friends and having a fabulous time with amazing company I returned home only to break out in a huge allergic reaction. My upper lip and my right eye lid was swollen. I looked absolutely funny and the worst part was that I needed to report to work in the morning. I immediately took  high doses of antihistamines to reduce the swelling and then retired to bed. The next morning I woke up only to find that the swelling was still there. I looked like a caricature of myself and didn't know whether I should laugh or cry. I went to work and naturally everyone started asking what happened and of course suggesting what medication I should take. The most hilarious comment though that I got was from a patient who assumed that my upper lip and eyelid was swollen due to a botox injection. She said that she always thought I had lovely full lips and now she knows the reason. I kept on telling her that I had an allergic reaction and she just wouldn't believe me. I wouldn't be surprised if she probably made an appointment the next day with the plastic surgeon to get a shot of botox.

Whilst most women aspire to be like the women we are so use to seeing on magazine covers or on television the truth is that these women have been made to look a certain way through plastic and cosmetic surgery. They do not have natural beauty. Their boobs are upright and perky due to implants as natural breasts do not look anything like the one's that are stuffed in our faces in magazines..their derrieres are cellulite free and their skin flawless due to airbrushing and various other computerized technology out their to create a false, fake image of how a woman should be. The truth is that many of these stars were nothing to look at during their childhood or teenage years. For many of them it has been a case of the ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan through numerous cosmetic surgeries and procedures to simply become the sex symbols of the world. After all SEX SELLS!!! Doesn't it.

So my question to all Saudi women out there is,Do you really want the world to view you as a sex symbol or a sex object like the women who grace these magazines or would you rather have the world view you as a modest moral woman who adheres to her religion, her culture and her roots and is proud of being a part of that culture and religion? Why aspire to be like someone else?Be proud of who you are and be happy with the way God has created you.

Source:

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1364543 - pictures