Corsets are still common to this day, however in the early years of corsets they were quite painful to wear. This is quite interesting since corsets are often used today for medical reasons.

Foot Binding took place in China for over a thousand years for young girls. The girls often suffered life long deformities due to this and some even had to have their feet amputated from the damages.

Many tribes around the globe practice “neck stretching” . This is where brass coils are steadily wrapped around a woman’s neck beginning in childhood. This lengthening is actually from a deformity caused by the coils to the clavicle. Many women die when the coils are removed because their muscles are weak in that area and they suffocate.

Female Circumcision- also known as female genital mutilation is also widely practiced in different tribes throughout the world. There is partial or full removal of the clitoris, cutting of the labia (this includes inner and outer).And removes the tissue.Some tribes burn the vagina. The labia is then stitched or held together by thorns. Some girls have their legs tied together for a month while the area heals. This is performed on children, ages four to eight.As you can imagine this is very painful. It can often lead to death due to shock of the pain, hemorrhaging, infections, UTI’s, infertility, cysts, and emotional problems. The girls first sexual experience is often very painful.

Lip Plates are most common in Africa and South America.The child usually decides if they want one at age thirteen. As you can imagine if someone does not steadily upgrade they can severely damage their lips.

Genital Piercings is a new trend and one that can have many consequences. This includes ripping, scarring, pain, and infections.

Breast Implants are also contemporarily common.They also have to be replaced every ten years, can rupture, cause visible rippling, scars,infections, bleeding,thins breast tissue, and can interfere with breast feeding. 

Beauty is something that we have striven for for generations, each in our own way. Every culture finds something different to symbolize beauty. The diversity in itself is beautiful. But what isn’t beautiful is the problems and deformities that come along with a lot of fashionable trends. It is not beautiful to have your ribs broken, your feet deformed, to die from having your necklace taken off, to die or  be permanently disfigured in your va-jay-jay, or to have infections etc. all in the name of beauty. As you can see from different cultures, there is one universal truth-beauty is pain.

I realize that we live in a vain world; one where labels, clothes, cosmetic surgery, etc. is used to make us beautiful. But what is wrong with our natural beauty? Why are we such insecure creatures, unhappy with our true selves?I am not saying that any of these practices are wrong or trying to disrespect anyone’s culture. I am merely saying that we do not need to take these extreme risks in the name of beauty. We will all one day rot in the ground, it will not matter what we looked like when we’re dead.If you are a Christian then perhaps you can empathize with this; God does not make junk, we are made in his image and all  made beautifully. If you are not a Christian then perhaps you can empathize with loving yourself unconditionally. Appreciate those little things that set us apart from others. I think it is better to find peace with who we are rather than killing and damaging ourselves for someone else’s fantasy of beauty.