Response to Zach's response to Skyla's "Self Expression"

Zach asked: What are your opinions on plastic surgery?

Plastic surgery is one of those things that has been stigmatized to hell and back by our society.

Our view, in general, is this: If you aren't born with it, don't get it! It'll be fake, and therefore, less valuable than your own natural assets.

I see plastic surgery as having little difference from tattooing. What if, for instance, Sheila got breast augmentation surgery, but denied it to everyone she met. For all intents and purposes, these new acquaintances would believe that Sheila was just a naturally busty lady. They would have no way of knowing that Sheila had the surgery, and not having this knowledge would neither positively nor negatively affect them. Perhaps Sheila's self-confidence is so significantly bolstered by the surgery that she leads a more successful life, bears more emotionally stable children, and is a kinder, more open person towards her peers? Is this still so very bad?

Plastic surgery is more invasive than tattooing, but what about cultures who file teeth to points, who split tongues into serpentine forks? What about scarification? These are all forms of self-expression, different means to the same end.