The anti-cosmetic surgery view - written by Sally Winthorp
Celebrity Big Brother showcased one very strong argument against cosmetic surgery: Jackie Stallone! The woman's face has had so much reconstruction she no longer looks normal - she is a living caricature and the painful reality is that she paid someone to do that to her.

While it is fair to say that this is an extreme case and not a typical example of the results of cosmetic surgery, it's a clear indication that some people don't know where to stop. We're constantly bombarded by the cosmetic surgery mantra. Newspaper and magazine pages are filled with advertisements for 'a newer, better you in your lunch hour', emphasising the quick-fix nature of cosmetic surgery.

At its essence, cosmetic surgery is a symptom of the 'easy come, easy go' society that we live in. Everything can be bought - from the ideal home to the perfect body - image is everything. There are apparently no boundaries and no limits. While some may say these are the benefits of a free society, the cost of this pursuit of 'perfection' is that the notion of values and development of the inner self are lost, buried in a mire of pert bums, large breasts and button noses.

We are instilling these values of surface beauty over inner well-being into the next generation and they are buying into it; a recent survey published by a teen magazine (Bliss - source BBC News), states that one third of its readers want cosmetic surgery. Idealism like this can only translate into a more hollow, materialistic and shallow society than the shell we already inhabit and that is not good news for anyone.

Unfortunately, many of the people who opt for cosmetic surgery are actually trying to heal a deeper hurt than any surgeon's knife will ever reach. In the aforementioned survey, 85% of respondents stated that appearance affected self-esteem, but what these adolescents don't seem to realise is that a smaller waist or a wrinkle-free brow will not make a person value themselves. Confidence and self-esteem can only be built on a strong foundation of self-value and belief in your own abilities, not on the shaky, and inevitably fleeting, platform of beauty.

Having said all this, I do believe that it is important to enhance the traits you've been given; I wear make-up, I dye my hair, I think that it's important to be active and keep your body fit and healthy, but I don't believe cosmetic surgery is the answer. There are inherent risks involved with any surgery, and in most cases surgery is kept as the last option. It therefore defies logic that people will welcome the knife so readily in order to improve their appearance. How do we justify this flippant view of cosmetic surgery? My breasts might explode, but they look great? I may never wake up but at least I'll have a smaller nose?

The proliferation of TV shows such as The Swan serve to support the empty value system propagated by the cosmetic surgery industry and will continue to do so as long as society continues to worship and advocate emulation of celebrities based on their looks alone. Did we really establish a free world so that beauty at any cost could be our sole goal?

The pro-cosmetic surgery view - written by Anna Taylor
Yes, it can be taken to extremes (are you listening Jackie Stallone?), and yes, it involves going under the knife, but speaking as a well-informed adult who is capable of making her own decisions, I believe strongly that cosmetic surgery as an option for enhancement should be available to all.

My argument centres around the word 'choice'. Have we become such an intolerant society so bent on overprotection that we ignore the basic human right that allows adults to choose what they feel is right for them? There are many things we do to our bodies that carry inherent risks – smoking, drinking, tanning. Yet none are given such a bad press as cosmetic surgery. There is an underlying feeling that people who opt for enhancement are superficial – more focused on outer rather than inner beauty. Celebrities who smoke do not hold the same fascination for us as celebrities whom we think may have 'had something done' – the covers of gossip magazines trade on them like they are exhibits at a passing freak show.

But looking good isn't immoral and making the most of yourself isn't shallow. The body is a canvas - many of us pierce our ears, wear make-up and embark on diet and fitness programmes to change how we look and give off a different image. Cosmetic surgery is one other route towards this.

The issue here is that as long as people realise that it's merely their body they will be changing (and not necessarily their life), then cosmetic surgery is a blessing. A nose job might not lead to a fabulous relationship, but it may be able to remove the self-consciousness that had blighted confidence. Bigger boobs may not lead to business success, but it may affect the way you carry yourself. We all believe in control of our lives and self-expression, and it seems that a lot of women agree. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons recorded 16,367 cosmetic procedures in 2004 - up from a total of 10,738 in 2003.

What we need to do is to make sure that every person who is considering the option knows the risks. The industry needs to be regulated, with experienced, qualified surgeons, the best medical advice, aftercare and consultations. Surely this can only happen if we stop demonising the process and focus on it as a valid concern that can be available to those who want them.

Let's not terrorise those who want a beauty upgrade.

Let us know what you think and add a comment.