The recent tragic death of Stephanie Kuleba, an 18-year-old high school cheerleader who died as a result of complications during a breast augmentation surgery, brought our attention to the pursuit of a more "ideal" body amongst teenagers. In fact, search data confirms this phenomenon. One of the most popular sites visited from the search term "plastic surgery" is the official site of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (http://www.plasticsurgery.org). Over 25% of visitors to the site (the largest segment) fell within the 18- to 24-year-old demographic — that's up from 19.6% two years ago.

Plastic surgery has become an American obsession. Checking other markets that Hitwise has data on, such as the U.K. and Australia, the 18- to 24-year-old fascination with plastic surgery is a decidedly U.S. phenomenon.

Looking at other health related sites visited by 18- t 24-year-olds, reveals just how obsessed this age group is with appearance. Unlike their older counterparts who visit sites related to diseases and keeping healthy, younger Internet users flock to sites that dwell on personal appearance, such as those focused on bodybuilding, weight loss and skincare. And definitely plastic surgery.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Health & Medicine • Young Adults

1. DonGander wrote: Our culture bows down and worships at the feet of “sex” but doesn’t have a clue what beauty is. We should not be surprised at the resultant idiocy. If we, as a culture, should ever change our situation then we must abandon the idea that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It is the statement of Eve in the Garden. It is an Existential statement. Don May 9, 7:34 am | [comment link]

2. Larry Morse wrote: Of course they are obsessed because they live their lives as if, any moment, they are going to appear in a movie or on TV. the narcissism of the past forty years has turned into massive hunger for exhibitionism, so OF COURSE y ou remanufacture your body into unreality because it is the virtual your believe in, understand, wish for and dream about, not the real.  The price for this is going to be agonizingly high because their bodies will age, starve them and remanufacture them as they will, and their dreams will turn to a decent into hell, where cellulite and wrinkles and age spots create an eternity from which there can be no hope of resurrection into youth. Those who sup with the devil need a damned long spoon.  LM May 9, 7:37 am | [comment link]

3. Chris wrote: I came across this site - http://jessfit.com - on Instapundit.  I was quite conflicted; she is really pressing the flesh but the gospel as well.  She might not have had plastic surgery, but the body building culture clearly fuels it.... May 9, 10:47 am | [comment link]

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