Category: Cosmetology

As women began asserting themselves, gaining rights, entering the workforce and are now beginning to achieve higher social positions such as CEOs of companies, powerful positions in politics and key researchers in a variety of fields, issues of female identity remain unresolved for many women. Magazines geared toward business women sold in supermarkets continue to highlight titles that focus on image and appearance rather than accomplishment and achievement. Although the choice to work has largely been taken out of the hands of women in todays economy, article titles reveal the degree to which women continue to struggle with external appearance. For many women, the feeling is that they must conform to a socialized external ideal image if they are to achieve any degree of success. While many are willing to pin the blame for this attitude on the women themselves, there is plenty of evidence suggesting it is a concept perpetuated and emphasized by the cosmetics industries through the medium of the media.

The media world depends to a large extent upon the money it receives from advertisers to stay alive, but these advertisers depend to a large degree upon selling their products. The best way to sell a product is to ensure that the product is something that will be needed perpetually, that there will always be some kind of demand for the product. A very effective technique in doing this is to set an ideal that is nearly impossible to achieve and then selling products that are geared toward bringing someone closer to this ideal, as has been done in the dieting and cosmetic markets. Women are sold to the diet industry by the magazines we read and the television programs we watch, almost all of which make us feel anxious about our weight (Jean Kilbourne, media activist, cited in Beauty and Body Image, 2009). This is only started with the portrayal of women in the media as the images of impossibly thin models overwhelm todays teenage girls. Unbelievably, most models are thinner than 98 percent of American girls and women (Bartell, 2008), which is also the source for everyone else to form their ideas of what the ideal female body should look like. Thus, friends, boyfriends, parents and others all add to the pressure for girls to attain, regardless of how impossible it might be, the shapes and forms represented in the media. While some may argue that this isnt really as prevalent as the reports seem to indicate, it has been demonstrated that womens magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and articles promoting weight loss than mens magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of womens magazines include at least one message about how to change a womans bodily appearance  by diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery (Beauty and Body Image, 2009). These widely apparent examples of how women portrayed in the media represent an impossible ideal to which normal girls are constantly compared has also been proven to have the potential for long-term psychological and physical problems.

Girls who are constantly compared to the images they see on TV and in their favourite magazines as well as hear the comments of others around them who also hold these impossible standards are at great risk for serious problems. Research indicates that exposure to images of thin, young, air-brushed female bodies is linked with depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls (Beauty and Body Image, 2009). This problem is made worse by the fact that many mothers contribute to the problem without even realizing theyre doing so. Many mothers have their own unresolved issues about weight and body image that inadvertently interfere with their ability to help their daughters create a healthy sense of their own bodies (Bartell, 2008). In fact, the problem has been traced through almost every age group, beginning with very young girls just starting social interaction at kindergarten and extends well into adulthood without help. One out of every four college-aged woman uses unhealthy methods of weight control  including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting. The pressure to be thin is also affecting young girls: the Canadian Womens Health Network warns that weight control measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6 (Beauty and Body Image, 2009). That otherwise educated women are seemingly falling into this trap of body image indicates both the depth of the issue as well as the emotional content it involves.

Although women today have achieved a great deal of success in a variety of spheres including the home, the business and in personal fulfilment, they are still largely the victims of a media society intent on cornering them into an impossible ideal. The reason for this emphasis is not necessarily a malignant intent on the part of the media channels themselves, but rather an inherent element of the system in which these media channels depend for their livelihood on the advertisers who pay them to run their ads. The advertisers, some of the most powerful being the cosmetics industries, have a vested interest in perpetuating the idea of youth and a specific definition of beauty. These definitions have been proven to be nearly impossible to attain, yet the pursuit of the ideal perpetuates the industry which, in turn, struggles to perpetuate the impossible ideal.

Works Cited

1. Bartell, Dr. Susan S. Help Your Daughter Create a Healthy Body Image. Focus Adolescent Services. (2008).
2. Beauty and Body Image in the Media. Media Awareness Network. (2009).

Introduction

Cosmetic surgery helps to enhance appearance. It involves hair transplant, breast implants, liposuctions, and tummy-sucks. Gynecologist and general surgeons mostly practice it. People assume that cosmetic and plastic surgery are the same. Plastic surgery mainly deals with facial and body enhancement due to birth abnormalities and accidents. Training to qualify as a plastic surgeon is different from a cosmetic surgeon.

Hence, cosmetic surgeon patients should understand that the training, experience, and education for becoming competent in cosmetic surgery are not the same as that required to become knowledgeable in plastic surgery. Many patients have false information that all plastic surgeons can undertake all cosmetic surgery.

Thus, they have incorrect and inaccurate information when it comes to choosing their surgeons. This endangers them by going to physicians with no expertise in cosmetic surgery. Despite all the risks and damages involved in cosmetic surgery, I support it because it has helped women largely.

Refutations

Counter Arguments

Breast augmentation as a cosmetic surgery improves ones breast, resulting in an outstanding figure. Some of the reasons why people seek breast augmentation include, increasing the breast size, the perception that ones breast is too small, to enhance the body outlook and proportion, to achieve an enhanced appearance, size, and projections (Nadler, 22). Breast augmentation helps in enhancement, not perfection.

Liposuction as cosmetic surgery helps patients to get rid of unwanted fats that cannot be controlled by exercise and dieting. Aside from visual enhancement, liposuction helps patients clothes to fit them better. Patients get a psychological lift after they have undergone liposuction due to a trimmer body. Some patients find it easy to have physical exercise regularly after removal of extra fats; this makes them have body fitness (Miller, 33).

Mastopexy, as a form of cosmetic surgery, helps in the improvement of ones outlook. It also helps in upgrading self-confidence and makes a person have a balanced self-outlook. Patients get a sensuous backside, and they are less cautious about self-appearance. Patients are advised to have reasonable goals about buttocks augmentation, and they should do it for their reasons but not anyone else reason. They should put in mind that it is for improvement, not perfection.

. All cosmetic surgeries have risks involved. If one follows, the doctors instructions, there are no problems, complication, and risks. Breast augmentation is not permanent and cannot stay forever; hence; it ruptures at one point or another (Nadler, 45). Patients may recognize leakage because a change in the size of the breast is detectable. An implant may rupture because of trauma on the chest region, but mostly it occurs spontaneously with no reason.

The major issue with breast augmentation is capsular contracture, the scar surrounding the implant hardens and tightens, and this makes the breast feel harder and tighter. The solution to this problem is by pressing the breast slowly during healing and following the surgeons instructions. Some women may feel numbness and sensitivity, but these symptoms may vanish after some time.

Rippling is another side effect experienced: it is experienced when the implant moves, and it is characterized by indentations on the surface of the implant. Removal of the implant is the best solution in case of severe cases. Some women may have contamination at the implant, antibiotics treat these infections, but in a severe situation, removal of the implant is advisable.

Liposuction has problems and complication like any other surgery. Some may suffer from sagging skin, numbness, scaring, and dimpling (Miller, 50). Follow up surgery rectify these problems. Other rare but extreme complications include excessive fluid loss and drug overdose. The following factors are associated with the removal of a large number of fats, multiple procedures are done together, and the use of general anesthesia. Risks involved with buttock implants include infection and bleeding.

Fallacies

Many people think that cosmetic surgeons are not doctors. What they do not comprehend is that surgeons are doctors who do not cure any disease. They only enhance and improve certain parts of the body. Cosmetic surgeons need to undertake a medical course for four years after they complete college.

They must excel in the board of examination to be qualified and attend seminars to broaden their skills. All this make them qualified as any other doctor. Others think that cosmetic surgery is only for the rich: this happened many centuries back when it was affordable only to the affluent. Nowadays it is affordable to anyone interested. This is because many surgery centers have come up and this procedure well.

Force qualification

Liposuction is advisable for individuals of normal weight who want to enhance their body. It can put the abdomen in place, shape the ankles, and remove contours. Liposuction cannot cure obesity; the process may even alter body proportion permanently. Patients with good skin will acquire smooth complexion after fat removal. Tumescent fluid yields satisfactory results. Because of pregnancy and other factors, women breast have lost proportion and begun to loosen.

Breast implant corrects this problem easily. Pursestring mastopexy surrounds the nipple with an incision. The other method is lollipop mastopexy, where an incision is underneath the nipple. Face-lifts make a persons face smooth by removing excess fat. The procedure used is short-scar scaring, which yields good results. The face becomes fresh and smoother. Eyelid surgery gets rid of unwanted fat and skin on the top eyelid. It tightens the bottom eyelid and offers a relaxed and alert appearance.

My opinion on cosmetic surgery

Cosmetic surgery is of good and great help because it helps to improve various parts of the body. For instance, women who undergo this procedure find themselves with smoother and unwrinkled skin. For example, those who undergo liposuction can wear clothes, which did were small to them earlier.

There is the removal of unattractive and troublesome part of the body; this makes a woman feel more appreciated. There is no worry about looks and emotional instability. Some women feel very awkward with their breast and are very unhappy with them when they look in the mirror; luckily, breast implantation has helped them.

Conclusion

Cosmetic surgery is a procedure done from a personal decision but not from influences from others. A patient should put into account that cosmetic surgery is for enhancement, but not for perfection and that, there are risks involved. Through following doctors instructions, no risks and complications are encountered.

Works Cited

Miller, Sam. Plastic Surgery. New York: Wolters Publishers, 2006. Pp. 33-50. Print.

Nadler, Bruce. Nip tucks work out. North Chalk Stone: Radius Publishers, 2005. Pp. 22-45. Print.

Reconstructive surgery is a practice that was designed for functional and cosmetic purposes. Time has given rise to a novel practice: female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS) that has solicited a lot of controversies. Initially, procedures to alter the genital size, appearance, and function were conducted for purely medical reasons, but now, this has changed to alter even that which is considered normal (Goodman, 2011). This has been the reason for contentious debate revolving around FGCS. However, criticism and anti-campaigns against FGCS are increasing amidst an increased use of this surgery and associated procedures. Medicalization of the womens genitalia exposes photos of pre- and post-surgery that resemble female genital mutilation according to the New View Campaign (2008). Yet, these photos are seen as an ideal representation of the womans genital.

Various magazines have articles that indicate the desired or ideal female genitals, and by so doing, these articles result in consumer anxiety. Any woman looking at these articles begins comparing her genitals to those of the woman in a mere photograph, not forgetting that photoshop might have been used to enhance the picture(s). The articles on these new technologies and how the vulva and labia tissues should look like leads to disconcerted women about what is normal, and what is abnormal genitalia. Female genital cosmetic surgery is a term that envisages several procedures.

First, labiaplasty is a novel procedure that entails modification of labia tissue that is considered extremely droopy by making it more firm through injection of fat from other parts of the body. The labia minora is the main target, and it aims at reducing the size of these lips to avoid protruding beyond the labia majora. Also, it entails the correction of labia tissue asymmetry about size and/or length. This is an absolute cosmetic procedure without a single effect on ones sensations. The ideology of an ideal labia has prompted many women to seek cosmetic surgery. Women undergo these surgeries based on the perception of an ideal labia minor: minimal, unextended, symmetrical, homogeneously pink, and not wavy (Davis 2002, p. 15).

Vaginoplasty, also known as vaginal rejuvenation, is another procedure that entails the tightening of the vagina and vaginal opening. This procedure is done by eliminating tissue deemed excess from the vaginal lining. It is mainly sought by women who have lost their vaginal tone after delivery. Hymenoplasty is yet another FGCS procedure that brings about re-virgination. This procedure entails reconnecting the edges of the hymen, mainly torn during the first sexual activity, so it can tear and bleed during intercourse. This procedure is prevalent in areas where cultural and religious values form the gist of the society, and especially in communities where virginity is highly valued. Labia majora augmentation is a procedure that plumps up the labia major after being injected with fatty tissue from other parts of a womans body. Vulval lipoplasty makes use of liposuction and eradicates fat deposits from the area covered by pubic hair: the mons pubis. The result is a less prominent mons pubis (Braun 2013).

G-spot augmentation is a procedure that aims to enhance the size of the G-spot and result in better sexual pleasure. This process entails the injection of substances such as collagen into the g-spot. The procedure should be repeated after every 3-4 months because this is the period that the effects of the procedure are felt. Analogous to various critics of these procedures, there is no indication of the side effects of associated with frequent G-spot augmentation. Perineoplasty is a reconstruction of the perineum, vulvar vestibule, vaginal introitus, and distal vagina by excising scarred and redundant tissue and opening perineal and levator ani musculature (Goodman 2008, p.4).

This procedure aims to enhance the strength of the pelvic floor and make it compact. The last procedure highlighted in this paper is a clitoral hood reduction. This procedure is aimed at improving a womans sexual pleasure through enhanced stimulation during sexual activities. The procedure reduces the hood of skin surrounding the clitoris and subsequently leaving the glans, which is the head of the clitoris found beneath this skin, exposed (Braun 2013).

The escalating use of FGCS is due to greater awareness and advertisements that create a feeling of self-criticism within an individual. The procedures are enticing, and any woman would be tempted to undergo either one procedure of her choice if only to improve her body and especially concerning sexual organs that seem to give an individual her identity. These procedures have grown over time, but Brazilian waxing seems to have opened the box of panthora. Brazilian waxing is a procedure that removes the pubic hair and leaves the genitals exposed; hence, no camouflaging and women can evaluate the appearance of their genitals. The result has been an increased feeling of self-consciousness and confusion about what is normal and abnormal. Sexuality is a topic that is less discussed; therefore, an individual will only rely on what photographs and surgeons of cosmetic surgery deem normal. Grady (cited in Purdy 2001) states that most women who undergo FGCS have normal organs. There is some misguided information that pushes women to undergo FGCS, yet they may not need it.

FGCS made its first appearance in the news in 1998 when Gary Alter and David Matlock (surgeons in Los Angeles) advertised various genital procedures aimed at adorning the vulva and elevating response to sex. Despite the fact that vaginal tightening had pre-existed, the new surgeries envisaged plastic surgery procedures with a focus on orgasmic function and vulva appearance. These new technologies for enhancing the female genitals were triggered by the increased hairless norm, heightened expectations for pleasure, orgasm, and G-spot response (Tiefer 2008, p. 467).

The quest for FGCS is attributed to psychological distress that comes about due to the appearances of the vulva, which has been pictorially enhanced. According to Grady (cited in Purdy 2001), conditions that were once left alone are now deemed as ailments; hence medicalizing sexuality. Medicalization of sexuality has resulted in the growth of the surgeons at the expense of their patients. Grady (cited in Purdy 2001) highlights that some of these conditions; labeled abnormal are merely part of the great diversity within the human race. Notwithstanding that some procedures may be necessary, it would be important for surgeons and associated health professionals to succinctly define what can be deemed as a medical condition that requires medical intervention rather than performing unnecessary procedures on the womens bodies.

The entire medicalization and franchising of female genitals have engendered scrutiny into ones genital appearance, response to sexual activities, and ones sexual behavior. This has led to the insecurity of some sort about their functional abilities regarding sexual intercourse and sexuality regarding clothing. Whereas surgeons and the media promote FGCS procedures, critics claim that the entire process violates important human ethical principles. The credibility of information provided by the media is questionable because surgeons have been cited offering free cosmetic procedures to journalists during interviews (Tiefer 2008, p. 469). FGCS is considered to surgically victimize women because most of them undergo the procedures without a comprehensive informed consent. Despite the fact that these procedures are performed by, other gynecologists are against the practices alleging that there is insufficient evidence to deem these procedures as safe and reliable.

Some women seek FGCS for aesthetic value, but it is difficult to distinguish between functional and aesthetic characteristics of these procedures. FGCS is compared to female genital mutilation (FGM) by some critics, but this has not received much scrutiny because unlike FGM that is coerced, FGCS is taken up by the western women freely. However, in the case of autonomy, full informed consent should be given while highlighting the negative impact of the procedures. Autonomy is questioned because societal and media pressures prevail and push the woman to change her looks, all in a bid to be sexually appealing. FGCS conflicts with ethical principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, and beneficence. Women do not fully understand the repercussions associated with these procedures, and the surgeons performing these procedures are not devoted to delineating such information because it may ruin their business.

Consumer organizations supported the franchising of medical products as a means to promote competition. However, critics such as the New View Campaign argue that this move is aimed at misinforming and misguiding the consumer. The images posted on the internet and showing in pornographic cites indicate an ideal female genital that most women will crave for. This is bizarre because even in facial looks, no one person is identical to another. The New View Campaign deems genital cosmetic surgery as an unregulated, unmonitored, and untested practice that has merely misinformed the public. Women have especially fallen prey to what is deemed an ideal body image (2008, p. 1).

There is no scientific backing of the safety and effectiveness of genital cosmetic surgery; hence, the strong opposition by the critics of such kind of surgery. There is a concern that women seeking these services are not fully aware of the consequences of these procedures. There is a major bias towards the positive and desirable outcome in comparison to the negative outcomes. Genital cosmetic surgery is delineated as a flawless process on online photos and videos. Yet, possible adversities such as scarring, loss of genital sensation, post-operative anxieties, reduced erotic pleasure, obstetric risks and chronic pain can occur (Tiefer et al., 2008, p. 1).

The New View Campaign advocates transparency, that is, the surgeons should give all the details of the cosmetic procedures. Feminists against FCGS and they have condemned it as a means that aggravates gender inequality. Genital surgery is mainly used to draw an appealing picture of sex work and pornography, which are deemed as avenues for exploitation and oppression. According to Tiefer (2008), feminists assert that women have the right to control their bodies howsoever they chose, even if it means undergoing the FGCS. On the other hand, these feminists argue against myogynists influences that push a woman to make fraught decisions that are not autonomous. Interviewees of cosmetic procedures tend to focus less on the adversities of these procedures and focus more on the benefits they have derived from them. It can be summed up from these interviews that women agonize over criticism, comparison, and discontentment.

This paper would not be complete without highlighting the risks associated with the various FGCS procedures, as indicated by Goodman (2011, p. 8). Labiaplasty is associated with the excessive repair, infection, scarring, hyper- or hypo-sensitivity, scalloped labial edges and disfigurement. Clitoral hood size reduction is associated with hypersensitivity, damaged glans, or clitorial body due to frequent operations and scarring. Perineoplasty required vigorous repair that leads to dyspareunia, infection, and damage of organs in close proximity such as rectum and peritoneum. Hymenoplasty is also associated with dyspareunia as well as additional defects on the hymenal ring. Vaginoplasty is associated with incontinence, scarring, infection, dyspareunia, injury to adjacent organs, and poor wound healing.

There are advertisements all-over about FGCS. These advertisements highlight the benefits of these procedures; apparently, these benefits are short-term. There is no indication of what these procedures can do over a long term and especially for those requiring repetition such as the G-spot augmentation. There is a need for studies to show long-term effects of FGCS because any woman who seeks the magical effects of FGCS would inarguably take up the procedure. It is important to understand whether the risks discussed above are emanated in all individuals who undergo the procedure, or are there particular predisposing factors to such risks.

References

Braun, K 2013, What is genital cosmetic surgery (GCS)? Health Journey, issue 3. Web.

Goodman, M 2011, Female Genital Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery: A Review, Journal of Sexual Medicine, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 1813-1825.

New View campaign. (2008). Research and Monitoring Needed for Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery NYC protest set for November 17, 2008, 12-2PM, Final Press Release. Web.

Purdy, L 2001, Medicalization, Medical Necessity, and Feminist Medicine, Bioethics, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 248-261.

Tiefer, L 2008, Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery: Freakish or Inevitable? Analysis from Medical Marketing, Bioethics, and Feminist Theory, Feminism & Psychology, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 466  479.

Davis, S 2002, Loose Lips Sink Ships (Labia Cosmetic Surgery), Feminist Studies, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 737.

Body modification tells a lot about people and their preferences. It may tell us about individuals who have body art; such as their likelihood, which substances they use, or any type of violence. Womens desire to look attractive or their need of expression has made many go for plastic surgery.

A Need for thinner bodies

When it comes to weight, most women prefer to look thin since they think they would look attractive if they were thin.

In the twenty first century, thinner is preferred by most men in the globe, and this has driven the women to modify their bodies by going for plastic surgery. Most women do not know the ideal size of their bodies; the ideal weight depends on whose criterion is being used. The criteria may be based on health or what other people say about your physical appearance, what people consider as right weight or body mass.

Most of the modern women have gone to the extent of being extra thin and underweight. At this point, I agree with the fact that cosmetic surgery has caused symbolic damage to the women.

According to the world health organisation, a BMI of 3.0 is categorized as obese and has greater risk of developing heart problems but, also, having a body mass index of below 18.4 is discouraged since it is a sign of underweight and exposes an individual to greater risks of developing heart diseases, lowered immunity, anaemia, depression and even death. Most of the women today have a BMI of below 18.4 which is very dangerous to their health.

Weight loss surgery has made a lot of negative changes on women who has done this, this effect are psychological and leaves the victim in a worse situation. This is because weight loss surgery changes how people relate with others, how they feel about themselves, their self-esteem and their whole life.

After Surgery

Because the effects the surgery are so much and far-reaching, one may find that their life has become less interesting than before and they may feel like they are the odd ones out in the society. Also, the outcome of the surgery may not be appealing to victim. At times, women who have done this surgery are not satisfied and end up doing more surgeries that do not bear good fruits. Eventually, they damage their nice natural look with an unappealing plastic look which cannot be changed any further.

Women with tattoos

The men communities and masculinity have mostly used tattooing. Currently, many women are going for tattoos; this has impacted negatively on the perception of women. Women with tattoos remain stigmatized, being pierced as more promiscuous, less attractive and drunkards (Swami and Furham, 2007).

Recent researches shows that tattooed women are perceived as not being morally upright than untattooed women. Furthermore, women with larger tattoos or tattoos that are highly visible are perceived more negatively than women with smaller tattoos.

A recent research shows that men with tattoos are less attracted to women with large tattoos, but women with tattoos do not react negatively towards other women with any tattoo.

Tattooed and pierced bodies tell us a lot about psychology and behaviour of a person. In most cases, people with tattoos are perceived to have physiological or biological problems by health practitioners.

Extreme surgery does not bring happiness

Botox has a side effect that lasts for six months if interfered with other types of medication it can cause flu or other undesirable side effects. People going through this type of surgery, may not be happy at the end if the injection does not work well with them.

It is not always the case; the outcome of the surgery depends on the genetic composition of the person and the expertise of the practitioner. Examples of medication that can be dangerous side effects if mixed with Botox are lincomycin, tobramycin, and gentamicin. They can lead to severe heart problems.

If money was not objected, I would not go for plastic surgery

Physical appearance may socially be termed as deviant since not just the appearance that provides a negative. However, rather the meaning and interpretation that people get from the appearance. Especially with tattoos, many people believe they are connected with devil worshiping or with people who are not morally upright. As for me, extreme surgeries are not healthy both to our bodies and social relationships.

Most women who are doing plastic surgery are old and want to appear young, others are dissatisfied with a particular feature for instance the nose and requires it to be lifted, others want to acquire western beauty standards, like the Asian women who do the eyelids surgery, and the influence of culture ideas especially in breast augmentation. Therefore, these women are portrayed as having low self-esteem and any other person who goes for plastic surgery. The surgery has effect on social and biological components of the body (Bereska, 2011).

Works Cited

Bereska, Tami. (2011). Deviance, conformity and social control in Canada. Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada.

In the modern world, cosmetics play an important role as a decorative technique used by young girls and women. Today, women and girls also wear more cosmetics than ever before. In earlier decades, a painted woman was automatically an immoral one. During the Twenties, mascaraed lashes, face powder, rouge, and red lipstick appeared on most women and girls who wanted to appear fashionable. They often plucked their eyebrows into a high arch, like the film stars of the decade, and used lipstick to shape their lips into a beestung look, tiny and pouting. Today, fashion demands that women use decorative cosmetics and makeup to look fashionable and charming.

The topic is important because it influences the appearance of a woman and her self-identity. On the other hand, the cosmetics industry is one of the most powerful and influential determining our tastes and priorities. Thus, fashion and appearance are as important as behavior when people look to the movies as models. Girls wear very tight sweaters and heavy makeup. The flamboyant styles of black rock singers also influence these teens, who adopted the stars extreme drapes, or loose-fitting trousers with narrow bottoms, shirts with wide collars, and, in imitation of the famous song, blue suede shoes. It is important to understand what good taste is and how to use cosmetics and makeup properly.

At the beginning of the 20th century, makeup was used to protect and project a sense of self. As already noted, techniques of decoration were not distinguished from fashion. They were regarded as traditional and unchanging reflections of social hierarchies, beliefs, and customs. Makeup embodied meanings of feminine nature and freedom while also encoding power relations. Occasionally, makeup was also acknowledged as an art form with aesthetic meanings. In doing so, they found that there were individual variations in makeup behavior as well as changes in decorative techniques over time. In short, new social and political ideas changed fashions in the details of the headdresses and makeup. Makeup became a part of style defined as a combination of simplicity, practicality, and suitability (Peiss 136-137).

Critics explain makeup as a body technique which displays social behavior expressed and displayed through a unique personal image by a girl. Rather than restricting fashion to culture, fashion is a general technique of acculturation. Following Peiss (1998): Even women who identified themselves as feminists found themselves caught in contradictory impulses (76). Makeup is often associated with feminist ideas and fashion. It shows the rules, codes, and language of the garments and how they should be worn. Cosmetics and bright images in glossy magazines appeal to young audiences popularizing new makeup trends and colors. Small shops selling the latest fashions, called boutiques, attracted trendy teen girls who wanted to sample miniskirts and new makeup.

Peiss (1999) explains that makeup becomes a language of womens culture and feminist identity. She shows that makeup is read not as individual units composed into a whole, either in terms of the social type evoked by an outfit (for example, housewife, hippie, businessman) or in terms of the look as a whole. Where an outfit cannot be interpreted, people either take one item of clothing as being the most salient and classify that or else produce an account that can reconcile the codes attached to different items of the outfit. Makeup displays certain body techniques and highlights relations between the body and social habits. Today, for many women makeup symbolizes personal expressiveness and the inner self. Makeup is very important because your face is the first thing people see when youre in the workplace (Riordan 85).

For me, makeup means the possibility to create and underline a unique identity and the self. The notion of individuality produces a rationale for cosmetics in terms of constructing a unique identity. The desire to approximate perceived ideal makeup is a prominent attribute of American women. Femininity is complex and contradictory work against the home, conservatism against progressiveness, and habit versus change.

The pressure to manipulate and actively control facial expression shape stems from the emphasis on appearance as the hallmark of contemporary western women. I have started to use makeup not a long time ago and try to avoid heavy and black colors. Little makeup is the best way to preserve your identity and unique facial expression. My first cosmetics was lipstick, and only in several years started to use eyes shadows and liners. To learn the main rules and secrets of good makeup, I read fashion magazines and try to apply these lessons into me face. The first experiments were very successful but I decided to avoid dark colors and power.

A lot of my friends have highly styled hair, elegant makeup, tight but tasteful dresses, and high heels represented self-confident womanhood. They share the same ideas about make-up and suppose that it helps a girl to underline her beauty but it is important to avoid too many colors. Makeup is a form of dress that provides both a badge of identity and a personal signature. Fashion systems are important because of their accessibility and visibility as commentaries on political exigencies as well as practical ways to negotiate the conflicting departments of existence.

A lot of information is available about this topic, but I would like to know about 17-th-18^th century makeup culture and the main ingredients used by women during this period. I know that makeup was opposed by religious believers and those women and men who shared old traditions and reject new cultures. But the Victorian women used makeup and natural substances to underline their feminine identity and beauty. The Victorian women partook of a new range of social engagements.

The development of the store allowed women to enter this public space as consumers and bought cosmetics. Makeup suggested that women were drawn into this expanding consumer culture partly as an attempt to diffuse some of the demands of feminism which was fuelled by the expansion of the numbers of women in paid employment, and by their demands for economic independence (Riordan 92).

In sum, modem American society perceives makeup as modernity except for strong religious believers and the older generation of women. Makeup is extremely popular among young women who cultivate a sense of style, develop a multi-purpose wardrobe and learn the social values associated with new order and culture. But fashion, beauty, and domesticity are not static concepts linked to the feminine (Peiss 65). Modern womens magazines carry advertisements for makeup, yet continue to publish only limited information or advertising for cosmetics.

Works Cited

Peiss, K. Hope in a Jar: The Making of Americas Beauty Culture. Owl Books, 1999.

Riordan, T. Inventing Beauty: A History of the Innovations that Have Made Us Beautiful. Broadway. 2004.

In most industries, business organizations continually face potential threats and risks that might severely obstruct the primary functions and the overall process of the companies. To minimize the chances and consequences of disruptions, it is essential to develop a comprehensive contingency plan that would account for various types of threats. Depending on the industry, the potential emergencies might include disasters, economic fluctuations, social and political trends, and other key risks. The contemporary business situation is further complicated by the pandemic restrictions in a large number of countries that might also pose a threat to the financial well-being of organizations. The current paper attempts to critically analyze the cosmetics industry and propose a detailed contingency plan for BRIGHT, an e-commerce organization specializing in personal care.

Overview of the Organization

The chosen organization is BRIGHT, a client-centered cosmetic brand based in Seoul, South Korea. The primary product line of the organization is skincare and personal care commodities. BRIGHT is an e-commerce company operating primarily in South and Southeast Asia, with most customers ordering from India, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. To meet the customers needs, the website is localized in five languages, including English, Hindi, Korean, Thai, and Indonesian, respectively. Currently, the companys primary business application is B2C e-commerce (business-to-customer); therefore, BRIGHT emphasizes customer service and acquisition as its primary mission and puts considerable effort into the marketing of the product. The team consists of eleven consistent members with occasional contractors, including package and logistics services. The full-time employees are accountable primarily for merchandising, content, marketing, and front-end/back-end development. The current dimensions and strategies of the company do not require additional labor power.

Industry

The cosmetic business is a rapidly developing industry of health and beauty products offering a wide range of commodities from shampoos to skincare. The industrys growth rate is estimated at 6.4% per year (Halla et al., 2018). Nevertheless, cosmetics are also associated with a wide range of risks, including biological and chemical contamination due to violation of safety standards (Halla et al., 2018). The regulations in the industry are provided by various official organizations depending on the country; for instance, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) governs the safety of the cosmetic business in America (Halla et al., 2018). Nevertheless, the majority of cosmetic goods are chemical compounds produced from synthetic sources and might harm customers if not appropriately managed. Therefore, BRIGHT ensures the safety of its products by contacting the verified suppliers and avoiding inorganic sources.

Product Line

BRIGHT focuses on skincare and beauty products promoting organic products and sustainable development. One particular type of cosmetic goods that BRIGHT is known for is the innovative version of skin-lightening products. In general, skin-lightening or skin-whitening cosmetics are highly prominent among males and females in South Asia; nevertheless, they have been recently criticized for promoting colorism (Adbi et al., 2021). Furthermore, the recent trends in the industry support social and environmental sustainability and have led to a number of companies rebranding and shifting away from skin-lightening products (Adbi et al., 2021). BRIGHT agrees with these policies and promotes cosmetics with lightening effects that do not change the color but only level the hues and pigmentation spots of the skin. Accompanied by the sustainable marketing strategies, BRIGHT plans to make a change concerning the skin-lightening products.

Location

As mentioned briefly before, the organization is positioned in Seoul. The company is located in South Korea due to the increased prevalence of the cosmetic industry in South Asia, with a revenue of approximately 50% of the global market (Roberts, 2021). The value of the beauty and personal markets is predicted to reach $784.6 billion by 2025, implying the rapid growth of the industry and making cosmetics a highly nourishing area for business (Roberts, 2021). Furthermore, South Korea provides excellent opportunities to online businesses and is widely known for its cosmetic brands. Moreover, South Korea is located in relative proximity to the other extensive cosmetic markets, namely, Indian and Thai.

Strategies

BRIGHT is an e-commerce organization that sells cosmetics only in online form. There are no retail shops or separate departments of BRIGHTs products in supermarkets, drugstores, beauty salons, or other cosmetics distributors. Ultimately, BRIGHT focuses solely on e-commerce since the potential growth in this area highly exceeds the traditional methods. The research demonstrates that online sales increase by approximately 4-6% per year, while offline sales decline by about 1% each year (Roberts, 2021). Furthermore, the value of independent e-commerce cosmetic brands increases by approximately 16-20% per year (Roberts, 2021). Lastly, traditional retail is widely populated by top manufacturers, such as LOreal and Dove, making it almost impossible for new companies to get into the market. Despite the high levels of competition, independent brands can strive in online retail due to the exclusivity of the content and intelligent marketing (Roberts, 2021). Sustainable strategies, e-commerce, and the denial of traditional skin-lightening products are among the primary reasons for the companys success.

Threats

Due to the rapid growth of the industry and intelligent marketing, BRIGHT has established a stable position in the market with the continual growth of revenue. Nevertheless, the beauty industry is associated with a large number of risks and threats that might potentially disrupt the development of the companies. The inclusive contingencies of the sector include political, legal, social, technological, and environmental factors. Furthermore, supply chain disruptions may occur due to a number of external factors, such as natural disasters and cyber-attacks. The chart below demonstrates the primary threats of the business in the cosmetic industry:

Demand for Contingency Planning Efforts

At the present time, BRIGHT is lacking contingency planning efforts and requires additional assistance in this area. Having acknowledged the primary strengths, weaknesses, strategies, and potential threats, it is possible to develop a comprehensive contingency plan. The critical risks for the organization are the disruption of the global and local supply chains, economic fluctuations, social trends for a particular line of products, potential chemical risks of the commodities, and natural disasters. Before establishing a contingency plan, it is essential to evaluate the risk management plan and assess the potential impact of the threats. The chart below demonstrates the probability and impact of the aforementioned risks.

Risk Assessment

The most impactful threat to the success of the business is the risk of global pandemics that might severely disrupt the global supply chains. Due to the increasing globalization and digitalization of all industries, supply chains are highly vulnerable to external factors that affect the global networks of suppliers (Hobbs, 2020). For instance, approximately 75% of businesses in America have suffered from supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 restrictions (Hobbs, 2020). Since a large number of companies operate internationally, the pandemic has had a vast impact on businesses in all parts of the world. Thus, while global pandemics do not occur frequently, they are the most impactful threats to businesses in contemporary realities.

The other two highly prominent factors that might stagnate the growth of the company are social trends and predicaments with manufacturers and suppliers. As mentioned in the Product Line section, BRIGHT has substituted the traditional skin-lightening products with more sustainable commodities that do not promote colorism and racial stereotypes. The primary reason for the approach is the ongoing trend toward sustainability and organic products that support social equality. Furthermore, skin-lightening products may cause severe health complications if the regulations are not followed (Michalek et al., 2019). As a result, BRIGHT has established a loyal customer base (primarily in India and South Korea) that considers the quality of the products. Nevertheless, if the social trend shifts back to skin-lightening cosmetics, BRIGHT might lose the majority of its clients. At the same time, this transformation is unlikely to happen since sustainable development is an ongoing global trend that is predicted to only strengthen in the future. Eco-friendliness is among the most significant factors in the choice of cosmetics for young people (Roberts, 2021). Therefore, social trends are unlikely to change in the near future.

Miscommunication and other predicaments with manufacturers might also severely delay the services of the company. It is vital to propose a backup plan for every step of the primary processes, such as manufacturing, logistics, and delivery. At the same time, it is essential to develop diverse responses for various types of supply chain disruptions. It is also advisable to establish different levels of contingency depending on the severity of the emergency. Ultimately, the comprehensive contingency plan should take all the potential risks and threats into account and propose diverse responses for them.

Subtypes of Contingency Planning

Frequently, business organizations need to account for additional subordinate functions in their contingency plans, including business impact analysis (BIA), business continuity planning (BCP), Business Continuity Planning (DRP&BCP), and incident response plan (ICP). Each of the categories includes necessary components and guidelines for the contingency plan to be effective. Therefore, it is essential to specifically discuss the subordinate functions before proposing the contingency planning policies and procedures.

Business Impact Analysis

Business impact analysis is a proactive methodology that allows predicting the disruptions of supply chains and business operations. Furthermore, BIA identifies the potential impact of the threats and enables the company to minimize the financial damage (Hyun, 2020). A comprehensive BIA also indicates the prioritized operations and areas for recovery, such as communication with customers or necessary repairs (Hyun, 2020). While BIA is a part of contingency planning, its primary purpose is to assess the critical processes of the company and propose a response plan (Hyun, 2020). Therefore, BIA does not develop coherent strategies for each potential threat specifically but addresses the consequences of the risks (Hyun, 2020). For instance, if BRIGHT is to suffer from supply chain disruption, BIA ensures that resource requirements are met and prioritizes certain processes while not proposing specific solutions to specific problems.

Business Continuity Planning

Business continuity planning is another subcategory of a contingency plan that covers the wide array of issues in the emergency response. Its primary purpose is to propose a set of actions during and after the emergency (IBM Services, 2020). It is a broad category that covers the primary stages of the contingency plan and a disaster recovery plan (IBM Services, 2020). BCP generally proposes strategies to handle emergencies and analyzes the preventive measures. A comprehensive BCP allows minimizing the damage from the disruption and continuing the business operations as fast as possible.

Incident Response Plan

IRP generally concerns the response to cyber threats, such as data breaches, malware, DDoS attacks, and other digital risks. IRPs are beneficial for e-commerce organizations since most of their processes are highly vulnerable to online threats. A comprehensive IRP improves data protection, enhances the reputation of the company, and reduces the costs due to the potential losses from breaches (Casetto, 2018). Exabeam proposes the following chart of primary components of IRP:

Some of the mentioned regulations apply to all types and subcategories of contingency plans, while some are specific to digital threats.

Contingency Plan

Having established the primary components of comprehensive emergency response, it is possible to formally structure and highlight the primary stages of the contingency plan.

Table 1. The contingency planning steps within BRIGHT

The Incident Scenario

To further evaluate the quality of the existing contingency plan, it is necessary to simulate the incident scenario. The hypothetical emergency is another global pandemic that has disrupted the major supply chains in South Asia. Having learned numerous lessons from the COVID-19, SARS, H1N1, and Ebola pandemics, it is essential to integrate innovative technologies and techniques into the current contingency plan. Unlike most economic shocks extended for a long period of time, pandemics are commonly associated with safety risks and potential health complications of the staff (Black & Glaser-Segura, 2020). Furthermore, the experts have found that legal, political, social, and economic trends might significantly increase the chance of supply chain disruption (Black & Glaser-Segura, 2020). However, the current contingency plan is developed according to the risk assessment of both industry-specific and external threats (figure. 1). Therefore, the plan is sufficiently equipped to handle any type of potential emergency. The timeline below demonstrates the consequent steps of contingency planning during the pandemic outbreak.

Timeline of the Contingency Plan

Ethical Concerns

Emergencies and pandemics, in particular, are highly stressful environments and might cause significant damage to the mental health of the employees. Furthermore, the consequent recovery efforts are frequently accompanied by overtime hours and additional physical strain. While it is essential to restore the operating system as fast as possible, a comprehensive contingency plan must take ethical concerns into account to maintain the health of the employees. Therefore, a thorough schedule of recovery efforts is necessary to minimize the overtime hours of the workers and ensure their safety.

Furthermore, there are company-specific ethical concerns that need to be addressed. Since BRIGHT is a customer-oriented cosmetic brand, it is vital to minimize the downtime of the supply chain and restore the shipping process as fast as possible. Extra waiting time for customers goes against the ethical policies of the company; therefore, the CP leader and communication department are exposed to additional pressure during supply chain disruption. Ultimately, cosmetic e-commerce is a highly competitive environment, and unsatisfied customers might severely damage the business.

Conclusion

The current paper has thoroughly described the organizational structure and business methodology of BRIGHT, a cosmetic company located in Seoul, South Korea. Furthermore, the work has examined the potential risks and threats that are prevalent in the industry as a whole and contingencies that are specific to BRIGHT. Based on these data, a contingency plan is proposed with a thorough classification of the subcategories, such as BIA, BCP, and IRP. Consequently, seven stages of contingency planning are identified and thoroughly examined. Lastly, the paper illustrates the effectiveness of the contingency plan on the example of a hypothetical global pandemic.

References

Adbi, A, Chatterjee, C., Cortland, C., Kinias, Z., & Singh, J. (2021). Womens disempowerment and preferences for skin lightening products that reinforce colorism: Experimental evidence from India. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 45(1). Web.

Black, S., & Glaser-Segura, D. (2020). Supply chain resilience in a pandemic: The need for revised contingency planning. Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy, 8(4), 325-343. Web.

Cassetto, O. (2018). How to build an incident response plan around the SANS incident response process, examples to get you started, and a peak at incident response automation. Web.

Halla, N., Fernandes, I., Heleno, S., Costa, P., Boucherit-Otmani, Z., Boucherit, K., Rodrigues, A., Ferreira, I., & Barreiro, M. (2018). Cosmetics preservation: A review on present strategies. Molecules, 23(7), 1571. Web.

Hyun, J. (2020). Business impact analysis  Guide to uncovering risks in an organization. Web.

IBM Services. (2020). Adapt and respond to risks with a business continuity plan (BCP). Web.

Michalek, I. M., Benn, E. K. T., dos Santos, F. L. C., Gordon, S., Wen, C., & Liu, B. (2019). A systematic review of global legal regulations on the permissible level of heavy metals in cosmetics with particular emphasis on skin lightening products. Environmental Research, 170, 187193. Web.

Roberts, R. 2021 beauty industry trends & cosmetics marketing: statistics and strategies for your own ecommerce growth. Web.

My pathway is Cosmetology. One problem my industry faces is that it needs to change to help the environment. Meaning making their products environment-friendly. One solution would be by making more of their products all-natural or even vegan. I propose that to make cosmetology change to help the environment. Everyone should start to change the ingredients we put in our products. To better us and our environment. We all can do a lot of different things to help reduce harm in the world. Products used in the cosmetology field are harming the environment. By the ingredients and as well as the packaging. I found out about this problem when researching online, on how products in this pathway are harmful. When reading about the harm packaging does to our ocean and what the chemicals do to the atmosphere. “Products made without chemicals and toxins aren’t just better for you, they’re better for the environment.” (Bobbi Peterson 6) We the people need to educate ourselves on the good and the bad on our planet. My solution would be to use earthy ingredients and as well as packaging that is good for the environment. I believe this will help the environment with less harsh chemicals and toxins being used in the cosmetology field. This will affect people, such as big companies. Because they will then be competing with a business that will have organic and natural ingredients. And most people will go to the organic and all-natural side, helping our planet. We need to find alternatives for these issues.

Different types of skills I have learned in my pathway are the different ingredients. As well as different chemicals and their value to this project. Some ways I can use these skills is by having a dedication to this project and as well as hard work. These skills are great for this type of project. Not everyone knows chemicals. So that these products can be natural and all vegan. Because we can use lots of different alternatives for these harsh chemicals. So in order, for the environment to be safer, we need to change the ways we create different types of products. Something you really want can be changed with a bit of effort. Our world is a beautiful place to live in, and we need to start being grateful and changing for the better. All these chemicals we put out in the atmosphere are just damaging it, not just our planet but us too

Growing up, multiple female figures in my family all took and had careers in cosmetology. I would watch them and constantly tell myself that hair, makeup, and nails were the life for me. I remember being so intrigued by hair care that I asked for a mannequin head for Christmas at least 3 years in a row. Needless to say, my grandmother DID NOT spend that much money for something I would’ve probably destroyed. As I grew up my interest only grew stronger.

In high school, I debated strongly on transferring to a school in a surrounding county that offered a cosmetology program. In the long run, I ended up remaining at Galax and deciding that maybe I should change my plans. After almost a year and a half of debating and thinking, I thought that I wanted to be a nurse. I kept telling myself that I needed a job that paid adequately and was much higher than that of a cosmetologist. Even with this decision my interest never lessened. In high school, I spent loads of money and time on makeup. I would watch tutorials, buy pallets, and practice in all of my spare time. I learned how to braid hair, curl hair properly, and watched tons of videos on hair care. Even with the interest, I still felt that I needed something with higher wages. Until one day, my teacher said something that stuck with me. She said, “When choosing your career path base it on what will make you the happiest, not the most money.”. After she said that I went home and reconsidered my decision. Although being a nurse has its benefits, It was not what I truly wanted to do.

I began to look for beauty schools and institutes near me. I kept telling myself that I would only do this if I could find a good school that would offer me success within a reasonable distance from home. I came across Paul Mitchell: the school, in Roanoke. After reading tons of good reviews and comments, I decided that this is where I want to go to further educate myself in this passion of mine. I want to get licensure in cosmetology, work in a salon, and hopefully eventually open my own salon. If successful, I have always dreamt of designing my own hair care and beauty product line. I feel that Paul Mitchell is a great place to start this journey.

Being in the beauty industry, you see both sides of the cosmetology field, the behind the scenes hookup off all cosmetologists endure in a lifetime. To be more specific, our bodies are in very “tense” situations in a way, we call this Ergonomics. Ergonomics is the bodies efficiency to work in certain environments and has a huge impact in cosmetology and without proper knowledge of how to adapt the body can put under immense stress and a lifetime of preventable pain and disorders. There are many ways to resolve this epidemic, for example, stylists can accommodate their clients to their own needs in a means to take precaution against potential injury and lessen the negative impact that could be placed on our bodies. Although this dilemma may not be 100% solvable, there are still ways to improve the situation, a way to start this practice would be to implement better posture in the salon, balance the weight of your body, and adjusting clients to fit what you need (“Workplace ergonomics 101”). Being of help to your body is a vital element in being successful for a lifetime, without proper care for your body the career than you have sought out for yourself can be over before it even begins. This harsh reality is brought on by the pure ignorance we all share of ergonomics. Although it may not seem like a detrimental issue at the moment, the less we pay attention to it the more we put ourselves at risk for MDS in the future.

Ergonomics in the workplace is a plaguing issue that does not receive enough attention. The poor practice of better ergonomics could result in many musculoskeletal disorders (“Ergonomics”), but as we not only enlighten ourselves of the issue but others, it will be easier to find more permanent resolutions. I, myself practice cosmetology and every day I am learning more and more how important it is to understand my body and the way an environment can affect it. Without the knowledge, I am gaining I would never understand how cutting hair or doing a simple shampoo could change my life forever. This epidemic afflicts more than cosmetologists, it affects many people in the medical field and even people who work in corporate America. Ergonomics takes a toll on anyone and everyone, it does not discriminate. This pain plays a role in the life of many, only not at the same level as intensity as the next person (“Cosmetology & Ergonomics”).

As a means to seek change, I want to propose a more permanent fix instead of more temporary accommodations to the salon (“Importance of Ergonomics”). I want to create a shoe that is stylish, accommodating and versatile for all. This will further push finding more resolutions because the shoe will push boundaries and make its own limits, I imagine the shoe being convertible into many different styles like a heel, a platform shoe, and a regular tennis shoe all while having an orthopedic feel to further accommodate the stylist. Although the shoe will be geared to cosmetologists it could be used by anyone, but because cosmetologist has such a broad range of clients and situations (“Sara and Lee 675-678”), they would benefit from this the most. To expand, this product should be sought out in more than the cosmetology field, but as stated before people in the medical field could be of great appreciation to this as well.

Furthermore, because I am affected by ergonomics and can speak on this first hand, having these accommodations beside the shoe like making chair adjustments, watching my body balance and having proper hand and wrist positioning I would say that this skill set has really changed my life for the better over the past 4 years. I am using these skills and more in my salon time to help minimize the amount of stress I put on my body every day. Without these new learned and self-taught skills, the wear and tear my body would endure is immense. For this reason and many more, as the cosmetology field is growing at such a rapid pace, we should want the future of our industry to understand how to take care of their bodies in the salon and why it is so crucial that they do so.

Ergonomics may not be 100% solvable, but there are many ways to improve and maximize comfort for the stylist and even the client (“Ergonomics for salon workstations”). Whilst ergonomics pertains to benefit the cosmetic world, this is something that affects more people than we tend to realize. We need to act and make ourselves knowledgeable on our bodies, MDS, and ways to protect ourselves against this. Taking precautions is the most efficient way to ensure we avoid the wrath of the influence our bodies are subjected to simply due to a lack of knowledge.

Works Cited

1. 01, Cynthia Roth | Feb. “The Importance of Ergonomics for the Safety Professional.” EHS Today, 13 Apr. 2012, www.ehstoday.com/news/importance-ergonomics-safety-3009.
2. “Cosmetology and Ergonomics.” The Hazards of Benzene Exposure, Apr. 2017, content.statefundca.com/safety/ErgoMatters/CosmetologyErgo.asp.
3. Czaja, Sara, and Chin Chin Lee. “Human Factors.” Encyclopedia of Aging, edited by David J. Ekerdt, vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, New York, NY, 2002, pp. 675–678. Gale Virtual Reference Library, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3402200196/GVRL?u=j057910010&sid=GVRL&xid=6d2bbcd0. Accessed 13 Jan. 2019.
4. “Ergonomics for Salon Workstations: Tips to Try – Direct Salon Equipment.” Direct Salon Equipment, 12 Mar. 2013, www.dsse.com.au/ergonomics-for-salon-workstations-tips-to-try/.
5. “Workplace Ergonomics 101.” ErgoPlus, ergo-plus.com/workplace-ergonomics/.

Cosmetology is the art of beautifying and improving facial structures and hair. Cosmetology is a very big industry it is practiced all around the world and one of the BIGGEST problems Cosmetologists face throughout the years is back pain. I believe that Cosmetologists should be given a specific amount of health benefits to help them throughout their career life for their back.

I propose to help fix all the back ache caused throughout the years we should give Cosmetologists benefits to getting help throughout the years with back ache. Back ache has increased throughout the years in the Cosmetology community due to their work environment and causes many doctor visits throughout the year. This problem came to my attention because it is an issue that not many shed light on or are even concerned with, because obviously not everyone is in the business so not many know about it. In https://www.allure.com/story/hairdresser-bad-back it mentions that, “In order to perform their job, they round their backs to reach the desired areas. [They] must also hold their equipment. The weight of the equipment as well as the weight of the individual’s arms pull the body forward, creating a fulcrum in the thoracic or lumbar spine, depending on positioning of the client, thus requiring increased muscular force to maintain an upright position as well as increasing the tension placed on their core and upper back/neck’ it shows the amount of movements and strength that Cosmetologists use with every move is crucial and just worsens the pain by the minute.

Back pain is also a very interesting topic to talk about. I believe that if we could all help give hard working Cosmetologists the health benefits that they need such as chiropractors or back products. It will help decrease the pain, so everyone could enjoy their life free of back ache. There was conducted many interviews on various amount of Cosmetologists and many were caused by back problems throughout their years. On the article, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/barbers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists.htm#tab-3 it is mentioned that, “Physical stamina is important, because they are on their feet for most of their shift” in a way assuring you and reminding you of the consequences leading onto working in the kind of environment Cosmetologists work on the daily.”

Cosmetologists are primarily affected by this problem though not only cosmetologists, this involves ALL labor workers. Though Chiropractors could be affected by this changed it wouldn’t be negatively because it could help them with clientele, I think chiropractors should be government issued for labor workers or given a cheaper price, so Cosmetologists and labor workers could actually be able to afford an appointment. In a website I read, https://www.docshop.com/education/chiropractic/cost it shows that, “Chiropractic services range from approximately $30 to $200 per session. Of course, each type of treatment has a different cost. For example, an initial consultation with a chiropractor may be provided at no charge, while a typical therapy session costs about $65 on average.” Showing the amount of money cosmetologists and other labor workers would have to put into getting an appointment at least once a month.

I learned that most cosmetologists though know that being a hairdresser isn’t easy and know the consequences that could be caused by their labor try not to make such a big deal out of it because it’s sort of like a bonus that comes with being a cosmetologists and don’t pay attention to it though the pain excoriating propose that to help fix all the back ache caused throughout the years we should give Cosmetologists benefits to getting help throughout the years with back ache. Cosmetologists want to enjoy their lives like any other human being not with the constant pain that most are burdened to live with after years as a Cosmetologists.

Works Cited

1. Admin, Admin. “5 Hair Stylist Health Issues To Talk About.” Simply Organic Beauty, Simply Organic Beauty, 18 May 2017, www.simplyorganicbeauty.com/hair-stylist-health-issues/.
2. Bonk, Mary, editor. “Cosmetologist.” Career Information Center, 9th ed., 5: Consumer, Homemaking, and Personal Services, Macmillan Reference USA, Detroit, MI, 2007, pp. 64–66. Gale Virtual Reference Library, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX2586800365/GVRL?u=j057910010&sid=GVRL&xid=0a1468c4. Accessed 16 Jan. 2019.
3. Freydkin, Donna. “This Viral Photo of a Hairstylist’s Back Proves Just How Tough of a Job It Is.” Allure, Allure Magazine, 18 Oct. 2017, www.allure.com/story/hairdresser-bad-back.
4. Kloberdanz, Kristin. “Hair Dressers.” Consumer HealthDay, 20 Jan. 2018, consumer.healthday.com/encyclopedia/work-and-health-41/occupational-health-news-507/hair-dressers-646462.html.
5. Ullman, Rosanne. “What’s Causing Your Lower Back Pain? – Career.” Modern Salon, 29 Aug. 2017, www.modernsalon.com/article/81890/what-s-causing-your-lower-back-pain.