Stilettos, hair rebonding, etc.

CEBU, Philippines - I have a love-hate relationship with beauty salons.  Well, yes, the rebonding process can tame frizzy hair like mine.  But the hours of sitting there having my hair washed, treated, tugged and ironed really bores me that I'd leave faster than a freight train afterwards.  It's even worse with facials.  Of course, my face feels like the cleanest afterwards, but the pricking part makes me want to shed buckets of tears, if only it would not be too embarrassing for a grown-up like me. It's a wonder why one would submit herself to such torture with these beauty sessions.

Curiously, however, the pursuit of beauty has always seemed to go with suffering and pain. In the 16th to the 18th century, tight lacing the corset was practiced to attain that hourglass figure.  The process distressed the internal organs as these were pressed together. No wonder women at that time were prone to fainting spells.

In China, young women bound their feet mostly to attain that dainty look of a dancer's or the wealthy's feet. The process prevented the normal growth of the foot that in turn might have had caused a number of consequent ailments. It was only in the 20th century that the practice stopped. 

Anthropologists have since discovered that in certain African cultures, women - and sometimes men - wear neck-rings to achieve that graceful, swan-like neck.  Wearing a neck ring starts at a very young age, with more rings added gradually as the wearer grows.  The weight of the rings often deforms the collar bone and squeezes the rib cage.

History has it that ancient Egyptians could be the very first to use killer makeup to enhance their eyes. Their most famous invention, kohl, contained lead, among several other heavy metals. Experts say lead can cause insomnia and mental disorders.

The ancient Greeks did not limit their makeup to the eyes.  In the pursuit of clear and blemish-free skin, they added lead to their face cream. The 15th to the 18th century was perhaps the period were white lead was a most sought-after ingredient in cosmetics.  Pale skin was all the rage then.  Men and women alike would apply the whitening compound on their faces.  The mixture of vinegar, lead and mercury ate away at the skin.  To cover the unsightly appearance of gravely irritated skin, they would apply more and more of the concoction. The whole process became a vicious cycle.

Fast forward to this day and age.  Nothing has changed.  In this so-called modern times, vanity still drives people to nonsensical and often deadly practices.  In Venezuela there are aspirant beauty queens who reportedly attach a plastic mesh to their tongues, making it difficult to eat solid food thereby keeping their weight down. 

Slim ring is another tool to keep the weight down.  In the world of medicine, it's called a gastric band.  The surgeon will wrap the upper portion of the stomach with a device, making it smaller.  The stomach can hold only minimal food and, hence, the patient gets the feeling of being full with just little food intake. The procedure is supposedly intended for those suffering from life-threatening illnesses, like diabetes, where weight loss is necessary. But vanity, of course, has found aesthetic value in the gastric band procedure. Other aesthetic surgeries, all touted to enhance appearance, include breast implants and face lifts.  Undergoing any of these procedures also means running the risk of possible complications that can lead to cancer and even death.

Even the seemingly innocuous things pose risks.  Yes, simple things like wearing stilettos are dangerous to the wearer's health.  Medical experts say that the higher the heel of the shoe the more it pushes the foot forward causing the body weight to be borne by the toes alone instead of the whole foot.  The erroneous weight distribution forces the body to tilt forward.  Now, to prevent yourself from falling face down to the pavement you lean backwards, and this leads to an unnatural posture that strains the spinal column, the lower back, knees and hips.

Psychologists say that vanity is oftentimes a coping mechanism against insecurities. A paradigm shift is needed.  Redefining beauty and self-love, though, will take years and a lot of effort. But it can be done - a little bit at a time.  Starting now. (FREEMAN)