Young women are terrified of growing old. Old women eventually stop trying, while women in-between continue the pursuit of maintaining the “perfection” of youth. Thanks to the ever-increasing availability of cosmetic and/or elective procedures, developing a few wrinkles around the mouth or eyes is now no longer cause for panic. If you’re just not satisfied with your nose and want your lips to look fuller, help is on the way. A new clinic in Boone will soon open that will offer several types of cosmetic and elective surgeries.

The female standard for beauty in this culture is flawless, hairless smooth skin, flat stomach, big boobs, tiny waist and a boxed hair color if you’re somewhere in between a natural blonde, redhead or brunette. Youth is worshiped. Age is shunned. It’s time to challenge the fallacy that a woman’s value is judged almost entirely by outward appearance.

One of the latest trends in cosmetic surgery is laser skin resurfacing. The fast, easy procedure requires no surgical cutting, which explains its growing popularity, and is guaranteed to erase the wrinkles with only a five- to 10-day recovery period.

A chemical skin peel is another option for wrinkle removal, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. It works by chemically burning off a layer of skin to stimulate new skin growth.

The Aesthetics Skin Care Center, located in Tampa, Fla., quotes the following promotional message: “The exciting field of aesthetic or appearance medicine can help you achieve healthier looking, more beautiful skin . . . Now medically safe and reliable skin care from your physician can give you a smooth, clear complexion and a more youthful look.”

I’m defining the field of aesthetic or appearance medicine as any procedure performed without a legitimate medical reason.

Liposuction? Wrinkle removal? Nose jobs? Facelifts? No.

Facial reconstruction to treat a burn injury or major trauma, yes. Breast implants and/or reconstruction? Only if a medical condition required a radical mastectomy, not as a birthday gift for turning sweet 16.

The field of aesthetic or appearance medicine seems to demand as much consideration to change one’s appearance as the cosmetic industry. Women have already succumbed to the vices of the cosmetic industry to improve our looks.

We don’t think twice about spending thousands of dollars on Clinique, Estee Lauder, Mary Kay or Elizabeth Arden products to hide the blemishes and wrinkles and slow the aging process. We’re conditioned to believe the aging process is some kind of illness that can be prevented, and we are to use whatever available resources we have, including surgery, to do so.

Some women welcome the opportunity for elective surgery.

Why? It’s called the “because we can” syndrome. Because a surgeon is qualified to reshape an already normal nose, is that the justification to have it redone? Because a surgeon is qualified to do a tummy tuck or perform liposuction, we should jump for the operating table instead of jumping rope? It’s all about vanity.

I’m not undermining the importance of taking care of yourself. Getting and maintaining a flattering hair color and/or style and acquiring some skill in applying makeup and careful grooming is expected. Physical appearance is important and says a lot about who you are, but it’s not the complete picture.

It’s time to re-evaluate our priorities. When self-esteem suffers because you’ve decided that your nose isn’t perfect and your lips are too thin and your chin too wide, the pursuit of beauty becomes an obsession. No amount of facelifts or nose jobs will make any difference if you confuse body image with self-image.

Women are under an enormous amount of pressure to keep their appearance “perfect.” It’s socially acceptable for men to develop laugh lines or crow’s feet, but women are encouraged to get rid of them. It’s acceptable for men to go gray, but women are encouraged to cover theirs. Granted, new products are emerging “just for men” to cover their gray as well, but there’s no doubt women are the primary target in this culture to change their appearance to meet someone else’s standards.