Reflecting on Cosmetic Surgery: Body image, Shame and Narcissism

237 Pages·2012·1.37 MB·English

by  Jane Megan Northrop

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Re ecting on Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery represents an extreme form of modern grooming. It is the
fastest growing medical speciality, yet misconceptions abound about those
who undertake it and their reasons for doing so. With a grounded approach,
engaging thirty women through in-depth interviews, this study explores how
they chose cosmetic surgery as an option. Their accounts frame a theoretical
discussion, inwhichJane Northropproposes that cosmetic surgeryisinitiated
within the vulnerable and divisive relationship between the self and its poor
body image.
Poor body image and the attempt at its reparation are examined con-
ceptually through shame and narcissism. With compelling case studies and a
multi-disciplinary approach, Reflecting on Cosmetic Surgery demonstrates
that shame constitutes a framework through which we formulate appearance
norms and learn the art of becoming socially embodied. Shame concerns
the self, but manifests in response to perceived social phenomena. Through
the evaluation and amendment of body image with cosmetic surgery, notions
of self and social worthiness are played out.
Northrop argues convincingly for a review of the way in which we view
narcissism and proposes that shame, and the discomforts arising from it, are
implicated in its occurrence. This book will appeal to students and scholars
across the social sciences, and particularly in women’s studies and gender
studies.
Jane Northrop has been a midwife and nurse for most of her career, and is
currentlycombining part-time work in palliative carewith a research position
at the University of Tasmania (UTAS). In 2002 she completed an Honours
degree in Sociology at UTAS, in which she examined the experiences of
people living with Hepatitis C. She was awarded First Class Honours and
receivedthe TASA Award. In 2003 shewasawarded an APA scholarship and
began a PhD in the School of Sociology and Social Work at UTAS, examin-
ingthemotivationsofthosewhoundertakecosmeticsurgery.Shereceivedher
doctorate in 2010.

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Re ecting on Cosmetic Surgery
Body image, shame and narcissism
Jane Megan Northrop
Firstpublished2012
byRoutledge
2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,Oxon,OX144RN
SimultaneouslypublishedintheUSAandCanada
byRoutledge
711ThirdAvenue,NewYork,NY10017
RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness
©2012JaneMeganNorthrop
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedor
utilisedinanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,now
knownorhereafterinvented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orin
anyinformationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwriting
fromthepublishers.
Trademarknotice:Productorcorporatenamesmaybetrademarksor
registeredtrademarks,andareusedonlyforidentificationand
explanationwithoutintenttoinfringe.
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Northrop,JaneMegan.
Reflectingoncosmeticsurgery:bodyimage,shameandnarcissism/
JaneMeganNorthrop.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
1.Surgery,Plastic--Socialaspects.2.Surgery,Plastic--Psychologicalaspects.
3.Bodyimageinwomen.I.Title.
RD119.N672012
617.905--dc23
2011042466
ISBN13:978-0-415-52139-0hbk
ISBN13:978-0-203-12151-1ebk
TypesetinTimes
byTaylor&FrancisBooks
In loving memory of my wonderful grandmothers,
Bonnie Allan and Jessie Northrop

Contents
Acknowledgements x
Introduction 1
1 Evolving appearance norms and cosmetic surgery 9
2 Women, appearance and cosmetic surgery 31
3 The mirrored self 57
4 Shame and the social self 80
5 Shame and subjective experience 105
6 Evaluating body image 134
7 Shame and cosmetic surgery 156
8 Just look at yourself 193
References 216
Index 224