Would you go under the knife?

Image courtesy: ©2009 Jupiterimages

In this size zero-obsessed world that we women live in [where flawless, airbrushed bodies of celebrities and models are plastered all over covers of magazines], insecurity is an indelible part of our lives. Whether it's the shape of our nose, our pencil eyebrows or even our supposed thin lips - all look deflated as compared to Angelina Jolie's. With cosmetic surgery becoming so readily available these days and the growing need to have Kareena Kapoor's cheekbones, it's becoming a way of life to somehow be someone else's idea of 'perfect.'

We asked women how they perceive their body image, if the media has a negative impact on the way they look at their bodies and if they have undergone or will consider undergoing surgery to enhance their looks. Here's what these women of today had to say:

"I don't absolutely loathe my body but I do get insecure about my looks especially if my husband innocently looks at younger women. After my second child, my body hasn't been the same. I do blame the media for putting so much pressure, especially when they have advertisements and all you see is perfect bodies and skin. I never thought I would undergo surgery but that was a few years back when I was more comfortable with my self. I'm considering it now."
- Sanya D'Phena, 29

"My insecurity about my looks sometimes causes problems in my marriage. I end up having arguments with my husband because I don't think he finds me attractive anymore. A few years ago, I was in a phase where I wanted to look like Angelina Jolie, so I had collagen injections and had a nose job. It takes a toll on a woman especially when she looks at women on covers of magazines with flawless skin and features."
- Elizeen Fernandez, 34

"Working for an airline like Emirates, I have to look at those gorgeous airhostesses everyday and take a look in the mirror and wonder where my looks have gone. After I turned 30, the lines on my forehead became more visible and my skin was not firm anymore so I decided to undergo a facelift."
- Cherisha Pande, 46

"Physical changes do not matter to me much. I am more afraid of being rigid in terms of my thought. I want to move with time and be open to changes and I hope I am able to do that as I age. Also I do not want to be bound by the stereotypical roles society has bound women with."
- Preeti Khilnani, 23

"I do not like ageing especially when the wrinkles and graying become more and more prominent. Nothing much can be done to correct them except for clever use of cosmetics and hair colouring. Surgery is not an option for me."
- Vatsala Nair, 48

No matter how hard we may try to ignore it, we simply cannot, especially when our men start ogling at those models in bikini's with the tan and perfect everything! But the most important thing is to be comfortable in your own skin.

Cosmetic surgery is a personal choice, but if you're opting for it, do it for yourself and not to please someone else because no matter how much you change on the outside, you'll still be the same person on the inside. And start realising that those women on the covers of magazines are covered in make-up, fake tans, body shimmer and their images are edited to become perfect for the magazine. So be happy with the way you are, accept your body the way it is and let your personality shine!

Do you think you would go under the knife for that perfect face / body? Leave us a comment and let us know.