AFRICA, FEATURED STORIES, Lifestyle, news, TRENDING
Copycats: Nigerians flaunt plastic surgeries, body images in new craze for American pop culture
Many Nigerians overseas now seem to have lost their true identity of Nigerianness, especially as a result of the influence of American pop culture.
There is no gainsaying the fact that popular culture also known as ‘pop culture’ has a huge influence and impact on youths all over the world. This is because youths are people still in their developmental years and so are easily influenced for good or bad by whatever takes place in and around their surroundings.
In this informative age where youths are the major consumers of pop culture, the impact on their lives has been more immediate and extensive than what was obtainable in the past.
Nigerian youths, especially the girls, are not left out of the influence of pop culture.
As consumers of pop culture, young girls and even matured women buy the lies that they ought to look in a particular way to be accepted.
This lie is further promoted by the society as the notion real value of women lies in how sexy they appear and most curvy ladies gain more attention and opportunities than those that are not.
According to this school, this lie dehumanises women personality and thereby relegates their worth to their physical appearance.
The education and orientation system over the years also have a significant role to play in this. Girls and young women are considered beautiful and ripe for marriage to a wealthy suitor when they are physically endowed.
So in our present world of high-definition, where the pressure is on for everyone to always look their best, this has given rise to a relentless drive for perfection, the craze for boob jobs, butts enlargement, tummy tuck, contoured breasts and other vanity magic.
These are all on the rise and the trend is now trickling down to every Tom, Dick and Harry who feels left behind and challenged by the images they see on Instagram no matter how fake they are without considering the eventual side effects as all these come at a price.
In years gone by, the high society always cautiously guarded its vanity magic tricks. Plastic surgery, botox and diet pills were the high society’s pretty little secrets. Even in the entertainment industry, the latest glamour obsession, otherwise labelled as ‘beauty work,’ has stayed underground for more than a decade before now accepted as the norm. These days, big bums and ‘belfies’ are huge business, and celebrities with extra-large derrieres drive the trend forward.
However, caution should be taken before undergoing surgery, there is a need to make sure that the doctor is a board-certified plastic surgeon.
More so, whatever you do, evaluate yourself on your level of self-love before making this life-altering decision.
In Nigeria, the practice has hit the roof, with several celebrities and influencers going for the procedure to enhance their bodies, after which they proudly show off their new body on the streets of Instagram.
Some share the story of the pain they went through while others don’t. Yet, cases of ruptured silicon, deaths during surgery and disfigured bodies abound.
There is so much pressure on women to look okay. Everybody is beautiful. Just the way they are, no matter the size. So there is need to learn self-love.
The best thing for any woman to do is to eat healthy to stay in shape. Interestingly, there are some people who are naturally big, and will even find it impossible to lose weight.
So, if you have to lose weight or get surgery, make sure the issue you’re trying to fix is not internal. Because after the procedure, outside compliments will not change the way you feel about yourself or your body inside.
There is a need to be in an environment where you wouldn’t have to feel insecure about your body. We know everywhere in Nigeria is, ‘lose weight this’, ‘you’re too fat that’. Most times, access to better clothing will solve these issues. And also being away from toxic people. Even toxic family members could be
Statistics have observed a rise in new trends in body-shaping procedures, with a spike in non-invasive fat reduction, as well as surgeries such as breast augmentations and liposuction.