Happy 50th Barbie

Much has been made of the symbolism of the iconic Barbie doll, who I’m told turned 50 last month. (No plastic surgery needed because she is plastic; her ludicrously long legs and other features setting an unrealistic standard of beauty; and even the jokes from her celebrated dumping of Ken because he was anatomically incomplete to “divorcee Barbie” costing more because she comes with most of Ken’s stuff.) But some take seriously the question of what Barbie says about a society that creates such a preposterously proportioned plaything. Do girls, and women, really aspire to be like Barbie?

At least one person has, a plastic surgery “addict” named Cindy Jackson who was born the same year as Barbie and who has made it her goal in life to become a sort of human Barbie doll. The reported cost of this plastic surgery transformation is in the range of six figures. Has this made her happy? You will have to ask her.

Plastic surgeons have become more attuned over the years to the problems that can go with this sort of plastic surgery compulsion. Patients who have serial plastic surgery without ever being truly pleased with their appearance often have a condition called Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD. Fortunately this is not common, and most people who show up in a plastic surgeon’s office have healthy motives. They just want their old body back after having kids, or a less tired look to match their true energy level. Plastic surgery to please someone else or to try and live up to perceived societal expectations is always a bad idea.

But the truth is that Barbie really is more likely to end up with a fancy sports car and a swanky Malibu home. Looks do matter. And there is a place for plastic surgery, somewhere between the extremes of trying to be the human Barbie doll and acceptance of whatever our genetics have in store for us, no matter how unattractive. (We could continue that line of reasoning to birth defects, which few would argue should not be repaired, but these are at the end of a continuum of conditions that include merely disproportionate noses or crooked teeth.) The psychological effects of plastic surgery have been studied quite a bit, and they are uniformly positive when it is done for the right reasons. Self-esteem is improved, along with a generally more favorable outlook, leading to better measures of functioning in daily life.

Ultimately, it isn’t all that complicated. Plastic surgery isn’t a substitute for the things you can do for yourself with diet and exercise, nor is it a cure-all for every disappointment in life. As a rule, people really don’t want to be Barbie, they just want a restored version of themselves. Oh and Barbie?-Your AARP card is in the mail.