The Price of Beauty: Ethics and Corruption in the Cosmetic Surgery Industry
- Chloe Cherng
- Sep 5
- 4 min read
When profit overshadows patient care, can cosmetic surgery still be considered a true practice of medicine?
Published September 5, 2025
By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students
The broader term most individuals are familiar with is ‘plastic surgery.’ However, under this category are two terms: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery is the restoration of function and appearance created by birth defects, trauma, or medical conditions. On the other hand, cosmetic surgery involves the enhancement of appearance–the adjustment of normal anatomy at the patient’s request.
The Evolution to a Beauty Business
Cosmetic surgery has had a rising prominence around the globe. Numerous factors have helped support the growth of this industry.
Firstly, greater global economic standing has soared in the 21st century. Society has become less focused on necessities and more focused on desires that wouldn’t have been accessible in the past. Though accessibility to healthcare is not evenly distributed globally, First World countries have immense resources to participate in leisure activities or elective surgeries.
In addition, throughout human history, beauty has been highly valued. With the rise of technology and the internet, the desire to appear “beautiful” has been intensified. Users are constantly exposed to often impossible and unrealistic beauty standards across all media platforms. Driven by societal pressure to meet these ideals, many individuals turn to cosmetic surgery as they view it as a means to achieve acceptance and boost confidence in a society that values appearance. This growing reliance on surgical enhancements doesn’t just reflect personal insecurities, but the influence of cultural expectations on our definition of beauty.
Ethical Issues
With this shift in priorities to fit societal beauty standards, the cosmetic surgery industry has thrived and become immensely profitable. The profitability of this field has attracted physicians who are not plastic surgeons, as, legally, any licensed doctor can perform cosmetic surgery. All physicians receive a medical degree and surgical training, and are permitted to perform cosmetic surgery without having a formal plastic surgery residency. Therefore, there is a risk of complications which would not align with the ethical principle of nonmaleficence: to do no harm. A doctor who lacks the expertise of a certified plastic surgeon may put patients at higher risk for poor outcomes or health issues. The patient’s safety and well-being may be compromised.
Additionally, the ethical principle of beneficence emphasizes an obligation to act in the best interest of patients. Since the cosmetic surgery industry is driven by profit, physicians may prioritize fulfilling patients’ requests over protecting their health and well-being. Patients may undergo risky operations to fulfill unrealistic beauty standards that damage their physical or mental health. Many individuals with preexisting psychological disorders, such as BDD, are not in a state of mind to responsibly make decisions; yet, they seek cosmetic surgery triggered by insecurity. However, these procedures rarely ever have lasting satisfaction. Rather than directing patients to receive mental guidance, doctors further exacerbate the conditions patients face by allowing them to have these procedures done. They may experience greater distress and seek even more surgery due to distorted self-perception/judgment. By prioritizing appearance over a patient’s overall health, the industry fails to respect the principle of beneficence, acting in the best interest of patients.
Another critical ethical pillar in healthcare, including the plastic surgery industry, is autonomy. Deceptive advertisements and influencers popularizing specific cosmetic procedures often leave patients with a poor understanding of risks and realistic outcomes. In any healthcare field, physicians are responsible for helping their patients make informed decisions about their healthcare, upholding the importance of informed consent. They are obligated to disclose all details of the procedure, even those that could perhaps deter them from proceeding. The cosmetic industry’s focus on profit has created inconsistencies in this ethical duty. Motivated to make money, some physicians fail to address every detail, enabling patients to consent to a procedure without being truly informed of all the risks involved.
Conclusion
The growing presence of cosmetic surgery highlights how practice once rooted in healing has shifted into a profit-driven business shaped by culture and consumerism. What began as a reconstructive specialty now often prioritizes financial gain over patient welfare, blurring the line between medicine and commodification. Ultimately, the field’s prosperity relies on a patient’s decision to follow through with the procedure. It’s important to uphold ethical pillars to prevent a patient’s autonomy, safety, and dignity being compromised, underscoring the need for individuals to be more informed in their health decisions. Effective marketing strategies help the industry thrive, but the question remains: Should beauty really come at the cost of corruption and compromised ethics?
Works Cited
Chrysopoulo, M. (2018, January 12). What’s the difference between reconstructive and cosmetic procedures? American Society of Plastic Surgeons. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/whats-the-difference-between-reconstructive-and-cosmetic-procedures
Grant, S. B. (2010, May 1). The contested status of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. Journal of Ethics | American Medical Association. https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/contested-status-cosmetic-and-reconstructive-plastic-surgery/2010-05
Nejadsarvari, N., Ebrahimi, A., Ebrahimi, A., & Hashem-Zade, H. (2016, September). Medical ethics in plastic surgery: A mini review. World Journal of Plastic Surgery. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5109381/
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