Cosmetic Surgery in a Plastic Age

by Ryan Martin

A model in Los Angeles obtains a slight facelift. A victim of tragic burns or birth defects undergoes surgery to repair disfigurement. A woman in Shanghai undergoes eyelid reconstruction to make herself look more like the Western women who fill her social media app. A young mom, wanting to look better for her husband, wonders whether she should have her breasts enlarged.

We live in a plastic age, where people assume they may mold their body into whatever form they wish. Cosmetic surgery, ushered in through advancing technology and lucrative business opportunities, has become a major cultural phenomenon. The Bible says nothing directly about cosmetic surgery. How should Christians think about such procedures?