#Asian Eyelid Surgery

[bhps-inc]

Chin and Cheek Augmentation - Dr. Gabriel Chiu

Chin and cheek augmentation are surgical procedures that use implants or fat grafting to permanently enhance the facial structure. Chin augmentation, known as mentoplasty or genioplasty, increases the projection of the chin, while cheek augmentation, known as malar augmentation, produces a fuller and more sculpted cheek appearance. These procedures can significantly improve your profile and facial definition to enhance your attractiveness with permanent, consistent results.

For more information visit https://www.beverlyhillsplasticsurgeryinc.com/chin-and-cheek-augmentation/

[shahinjavaherimdplasticsurgeon]

Asian Eyelid Surgery in San Francisco, CA

Asian eyelid procedure is becoming increasingly popular in San Francisco, CA! Learn more about Asian Eyelid Surgery procedures, results, and recovery.

[joen-lenawley]

I think it’s funny how so many white people want monolids because Asian people actually consider having double eyelids beautiful

[drmele]

It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul. Metaphors aside, the eyes are the first thing we notice when we see a face. The eyes are two of the two most important aesthetic features of the face. The eyes and the lips are meant to be noticed. The rest of the face is merely the frame and the less distracting the better for the overall aesthetics. So, when the skin of the upper eyelids sags, or the lower eyelids get bags, it may be time to consider Blepharoplasty.

The goals of Upper Blepharoplasty are to:

Reduce Upper Eyelid Skin Redundancy Remove or Optimally Position Upper Eyelid Fat Elevate the Saggy Lacrimal Gland Improve Eyelid Symmetry Whenever Possible

The goals of Lower Blepharoplasty are to:

Reduce Lower Eyelid Bags Reduce Lower Eyelid Skin Redundancy Elevate the Saggy Lower Eyelid Improve Eyelid Tone when functionally necessary

Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery Consultations

Looking to improve the appearance of your eyes? The next step is a Blepharoplasty Consultation at our San Francisco Bay Area, Walnut Creek Plastic Surgery Clinic. This simple, outpatient procedure can produce dramatic results.

[mdbariaticcosmeticsurgery]

Both procedures have become increasingly popular over the years as individuals look to improve their body shape and confidence. Both men and women in good health can benefit from a tummy tuck BBL in Pottstown, PA. Additionally, those who have experienced significant weight loss and still have excess fat or loose skin in the belly may also consider a tummy tuck as a solution. If you want to get into perfect shape and flaunt it this summer, go for a tummy tuck and BBL surgery. These surgeries by MD Bariatric & Cosmetic Surgery experts can help improve your body shape, confidence, and overall quality of life. Contact them to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon before undergoing Asian eyelid surgery, PA.

[olderthannetfic]

Going down the plastic surgery rabbit hole and how it fucks with people's self esteem and self worth.

Anyway, if I get one more fucking video where someone claims that the reason South Korean girls get a double eyelid surgery is to "look more Eurocentric" I'm going to set fire to a dumpster.

You're not going to fucking stand there and tell me that South Korean girls with "double eyelid" surgery are all trying to look Eurocentric. Double eyelids are not a fucking European only thing. Double eyelids exist naturally in East Asian people, and other Asians. It also exist in other ethnicities beyond white people, shocker.

Asian people getting a surgery like the double eyelid surgery are not trying to look more Eurocentric, they're trying to look more like the Asian people who already have a double eyelid naturally. The eyeshape most of these surgeries end up with are clearly supposed to look like those who have a natural ASIAN double eyelid, NOT European.

Beyond that, you couldn't even get a good "European" double eyelid eye, because beyond just the double eyelid, the bone structure is very different. You're not getting a Eurocentric face just from a superficial skin surgery. Facial features look the way they do across different ethnicities, specifically because they are placed on different bone structures, which is why a European double eyelid is different from an East Asian double eyelid even if both are double eyelids.

--

[jewishbarbies]

as someone that works in the beauty field i can easily say that taylor has a lot of work done.

she had an eye surgery around 2014 or earlier to change her eye shape. if you search old photos, her eyes used to be a lot smaller and very asian like so she did a blepharoplasty combined with a eyebrow lift to open that space and make her appear wide eyed. It’s called an eyelid surgery and it’s popular in Asia.

she had multiple small nose jobs done over the years, rhinoplasty included. but it’s not too noticeable because she’s done small changes over the years so the change doesn’t look as drastic. around 2014-2017 she started with cheek implants and i believe she does them to this today. and around 2012/13 she started doing boob jobs but i can’t tell how many. however, you can tell she underwent another boob surgery before her lasted tour started by inserting boob and butt implants, or maybe the same tissue of other parts of her body were transferred to her boobs/butt to make her look natural and so weight changes don’t affect her.

I believe she had a chin surgery around 2013.

and right now, you can easily tell she’s trying to avoid a lot of aging signs so she’s been doing botox and filters for a while but lately she’s been going overboard with it and you can easily tell by her lips and cheeks. that inflammation is a sign that she’s been picking herself with botox a lot more constant than not.

[namtanlovesfilm]

hi! i feel like you might be able to give a better answer to this since you live in thailand. do these BL actors change their face because of societal pressure to look a certain way? i feel like tay and mix are the only actors who look godly after their nose jobs because other BL actors who did their faces are aging like milk 😭 i don't think gun's new nose and eye bags will ever grow on me sorry 😭

hi! yeah the plastic surgery is so real in the thai entertainment industry, I don't think there's ANY established actor who hasn't gotten SOMETHING done. it comes from the thai beauty standard not even reflecting the actual thai type of beauty to begin with, with the pale skin and the more eastern asian features. but I also believe it's a trend thing, like they obviously all influence each other & are all under immense pressure bc their looks = their whole career. however that makes it even crazier for me bc why would you change the face that MADE you famous? I understand people who get work done before their enter the industry or at their very beginning (like lookjun for example) bc they believe it'll give them a fighting chance to get roles, but I never understood why actors would do that after years in the industry when their face IS their brand. rhinoplasty especially changes the whole face & essence of someone imo, and I think it all started when ter ratthanant got a nose job, then samantha melanie coates, mix, etc... and now yingying just changed her whole face & she's one of gun's besties so that might have influenced him. personally I even had trouble with mix's nose job at first bc something was just... off. the only one where it actually took me a while to realize he had gotten something done was tay. so while yeah I am getting used to gun's new features, I am deffo heartbroken he changed his face to that point. however gun has done plastic surgery for years, which is why his face changes slightly from show to show, so honestly this outcome is not too surprising. but now it's changed very drastically, I hope that once it all heals it will look more natural. and more than that I hope that it doesn't influence off to get a rhinoplasty bc if that happens... I - 😭😭😭

ALSO I wanted to add that anyone with medium income in bangkok gets botox from a young age, eyelid surgery & face lifts are also very common. which means that culturally, like korea (which is the number one cultural influence on thailand they are OBSESSED with korea), plastic surgery is very accepted in thailand. whereas in france, where I'm from, it is still looked down upon quite a lot...

xxx

[thoughtsandbones]

The dots that begin to align

WARNINGS: Mention of profanity, scars, fluff, anxiety, medical inaccuracies, surgery, blood, gore and just getting the POV of our friendly neighbourhood masked menace.

Plot: Doctor Ruhari Hari Kaur (OC is South Asian ☺️) joins the 141 again, but this time as their doctor. After the betrayal of Shepherd and Graves, Task Force 141 begins their hunt on his whereabouts and locating Makarov.

Word count: 3309K

Song inspo: Don't Fear the Reaper - Tom Jones, Halo - Haley James Scott ( BethanyJoy Lenz), Sinner - The Last Dinner Party

All rights reserved to the rightful owners of Call of Duty Modern Warfare.

spelling and some grammar mistakes as I am bad at times... :/

(FYI: bold sentences... that are like this... are supposed to describe redacted data/info to the plot... ;] .. )

Please do let me know how you all are finding this fanfic! :D

MASTERLIST

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8, PART 9, PART 10, PART 11, PART 12, PART 13, PART 14, PART 15 I and PART 15 II

Part 16

The midday sun radiated through the windows into the infirmary. Ghost noticed the light bounce off your brown skin and across parts of your face. Anytime you looked up and out the window, the sun rays changed the colour of your eyes to the shade of honey brown that made Ghost's heart flutter.

He savoured the silent moment with you as you finished the last suture. Gazing upon your face full of concentration, as if nothing else was on your mind, just the wound in front of you. He watched as you straightened up and marveled at your handiwork, the neat stitches all in equal space and length.

"Going to just cover it with a bandage" You say as you reach over to the trays next to the med bed and pull out a medium sized dressing.

"Thanks Doc" Ghost said clearing his throat, he got up and leant slightly on his elbows.

"How does it feel?" You ask him "You can sit up if you are able to" You add looking briefly at his naked toned and muscular upper body, the edge of his long mask covering the edge of his shoulders, that mole on his jugular not visible.

Ghost sits up slowly, and swings his leg over the edge of the bed. Looking down at his stitches, he admired the neatness and precision. You moved closer to Ghost, and then began to apply the dressing over the stitches.

"Next time let us know if you were injured too" You say not looking at him

Ghost looked down at you, not breaking your concentration from the dressing.

"Johnny was more important" He gruffed

You roll your eyes and look up at him, meeting his gaze.

"So are you sir" You respond finishing applying the dress over his lower abdomen, trying to not ogle at the various scars over his body.

He scoffed at your response. Him? Important? Nah, just another gear in the machine of war he thought to himself.

You shook your head in disapproval, not wanting to start an argument with your lieutenant, you just ignore him. Taking your gloves off and throwing them in the hazard bin.

"All sorted" You say and weakly smile at Ghost, his blue eyes still focused on you. "Need a shirt?" You ask

Ghost took in that sad smile. "Thanks Doc, be alright, room is only down the hall" He said getting up from the med bed and watched as you cleaned the bed.

You nod at him and finished clearing up.

"Don't get the bandage wet, no heavy lifting or you'll rip my handiwork" You sigh, eyelids becoming heavy with every blink.

"You need some sleep" Ghost said leaning back against the door watching as you discarded tissues and equipment in their appropriate bins.

"Hmm" You say gazing out the window, eyes becoming heavier, leaning against the window sill. The crash was oncoming. Long surgeries where the brain had to be kept active, focused on the task at hand took up a lot of energy. Saving Soap. Poring deep into his flesh and bones. Rewiring his nerves.

"Doc?" Ghost said, watching you look out into the sun now high up in the blue sky over base.

"Hmm" You mumble again "Going to sleep now" You say plainly. But still you did not move.

Ghost came forward a bit and kept his eyes on you. Noticing the reflection of Ghost coming towards you, you turn to meet his gaze.

"Going now" You say, moving away from the window and past Ghost, briefly glancing at his naked torso again.

You open the door and head out first, Ghost followed behind you and stepped to the side as you turned to face the door and drew out your keys, locking it. Your eyes wander up to Ghost, who was still looking at you.

"You're doing that staring thing again." You say without thinking, but then your eyes widen when you realise what you said out loud.

Ghost chuckled and looked away.

"Sorry, that just came out wrong." You quickly say, looking at him then moving your eyes to the floor.

"S'alrigh'" Ghost said, crossing his bare muscular arms "I do stare a lot.." He mumbled looking back at you. You smile weakly again at him before bringing your right hand to cover mouth as you yawned.

"I need to sleep" You say moving your hand from your mouth to rub you brow bone.

"Go sleep now. That's an order Hari" Ghost said laughing, moving his hands to your shoulders, his bare hands could feel the skin and bones under the fabric of your scrubs as he guided you towards your room. You move along with him yawning one more time as your unlocked the door, turning one last time.

"Good night Lieutenant" You say wearily.

"Good night" Ghost said nodding as you gave a meek smile.

Ghost moved away from your door as he heard the lock clicking, and made his way back to his room. After getting in, he walked to his bathroom, taking his mask off, revealing Simon in the mirror. Black paint mixed with sweat had smeared across his cheeks and down the sides of his nose. He took a few steps back looking his upper body, various scars scattered across the skin, lifting his arm and smelling himself, the smell of old sweat coming off him was strong. He felt a tinge of embarrassment, cheeks and ears going red at the thought of you being repulsed by his bad odour.

"Fucks sake" He said and then turned to the shower and stripped off his dirty trousers and boots. Getting into the shower and letting the hot water run over him. As he grabbed his loofah he noticed the white bandage in the corner of his eye.

"Don't get the bandage wet" he remembered you saying. Simon turned the water off and grabbed a towel patting the now wet bandage dry.

"Fucks sake!" He said through gritted teeth, patting the bandage slightly harder, underneath the wound ached. In the moment of building anger, he wanted to rip off the bandage and attack the wound, an attempt to punish himself for being so stupid.

But your tired eyes flickered in his mind. If he destroyed your hard work, you'll be even more pissed at him and then revealing himself would be a lot harder.

Simon leant back against the white tiles of the shower, the droplets of water soaked onto his skin as he slid down, wincing as he brought his knees up.

"How could I be so stupid" He muttered to himself. With the towel he covered his lower abdomen, hoping it would absorb the moisture from the wet bandage. A heaviness wafted over him, eyelids drooping, he closed them.

"Just for a moment" He said "Rest here just a moment" He said again to himself, breathing sharply through his nose and exhaling. He drifted off, the white light of the bathroom still on glaring sharply at him even when his eyes were closed.

...

The unexpected beeping of your pager woke you up from your short sleep. Your eyes open slowly, and with your hand reaching for the pager, reading 999 - ICU, you threw the covers off the bed and leapt out. Cold shock giving you a sudden bolt of energy.

Soap! You think.

Grabbing a set on new scrubs from your drawer, you quickly put them on. The pager beeped again: 999 - ICU

A heavy sick feeling planted itself in your stomach as your tied the laces of your trainers. You think of all the possible things that could've gone wrong. But everything was fine! you pleaded with yourself. Grabbing your scrub cap, and unlocking the door you run out, not bothering to lock it.

Every second counted

Running down the stairs, you nearly toppled over Captain Price who was walking up.

"Hari! You alright?" He said, eyed widening

You looked up at him with worry in your eyes

"It's Soap" You cried, showing him your pager that went off again: 999 - ICU

"Go." Price commanded nodding at you, and you did. Quickening up the pace as you jumped down the final set of stairs, and running down the hall to entrance of Building 2.

As you ran across the tarmac of base, adrenaline coursed through your veins, you went through the mental checklist of what you did and what could've gone wrong.

Perhaps there was another nerve that was damaged... You think as your ran towards the entrance of the RAMC building.

Your legs felt like giving up, but you could not. Soap mattered now more than ever, and it was your job to save him. To look after him. All of them.

Reaching the reception area before the ICU, you see Clarissa writing on the whiteboard.

"Clarissa!" You wheezed as you buckled over, trying to catch your breath "What happened?" You added, gasping for air. Clarissa turned towards you, her braids swinging along with, her face confused..

"Ah did you find out about Gaz?" She asked moving over to you.

"Huh?" You said looking at her confused "I got paged" You gasped

"What?" She asked, checking her pager on the waistband of her pink scrubs. "I didn't page you..." She mumbled checking the board to see who else could

"I got 999 - ICU" You blurted out, breathing in slowly. You could feel your heart pound against your chest.

"Let's go" Clarissa said, motioning with her head towards the door of the ICU. You followed her, placing your hands on your hips.

As you both walked in and moved to where Soap was, you could hear the steady beeping of the machines. Clarissa moved over to check his stats and you moved closer to the headrest, looking at Soap's face, still asleep but no longer intubated.

"Did he wake up?" You ask looking at Clarissa

"Think so, no longer intubated..." Clarissa said, trailing off at the confusion as to who would take his intubator out.

The doors of the ICU opened, and you both turned to look over. It was Dr Jones, dressed in blue scrubs, his brown hair slicked back, green eyes focused on you.

"Ah Dr Kaur, nice of you to respond to my page" He said moving the the end of the bed where Soap laid.

You looked at him in astonishment as he looked through the charts.

"You paged me 999?" You said bitterly

"Yes." He said looking up at you, smirking slightly "You performed an unauthorised medical procedure" He continued.

Unauthorised medical procedure, the words echoed in your brain, you were taken aback.

"Excuse me? I was paged by Peyton - Dr Marie - for an injury on one of the 141" You said, glaring at him as he moved around Clarissa, not making any eye contact with you.

"Yes, I am aware, but I have no official medical certificates to state you could operate" He said looking back at you, the same smirk lingered on his face. The smirk that made you want to slap off his stupid face.

"Official medical certificates?" You asked. Anger began to simmer in your blood "I was a Neuro registrar at Foxham, this was a neuro injury" You spat at him.

"So I have been told.." he sighed "But I also heard that you had a nervous breakdown a few months ago. Heard you went psychotic whilst on shift." He said glaring at you.

Those words hit you in your core. How could he know?

"I-I er" You stammered, looking down at the steel railing of the med bed where Soap was. Your heart began to race, and sweat began to seep from your skin.

"As a consultant, and therefore your superior, I want to see your medical certificates and records pronto" He declared moving over to you.

Clarissa watched him edge closer to you. Why was he doing this now? she thought.

"Dr Kaur did a fantastic job, without her I don't know if the patient would have survived" Clarissa said, speaking up and glaring at Dr Jones.

"I didn't ask for you opinion Clarissa" He huffed "I want to see those certificates, I am sure you can arrange to do that" He said

"What now?" You asked, still stunned at the revelation that he knew about that incident at Foxham.

Did Peyton tell him? Surely no... She would not do that... You think, your mind began to race with the possibilities of how he could know.

"Yes now." He said, giving you one final stare before walking out of the ICU, your head bowed down, staring at the laminated floor, your vision becoming hazy.

"What a cunt" Clarissa said moving to you, placing her hands on your shoulders. "You okay?" She asks, doe-eyed.

You look up, and tears formed in your eyes.

"Oh honey" Clarissa said and brought you in close to her, giving you a hug. You wrap your arms around her and began to sob. The tiredness and the sudden building of anxiety poured out of you like a broken dam. You sobbed into the scrubs that Clarissa wore, tears making patches of her pink scrubs darker.

"Honey, you did a great job. Sgt MacTavish is doing well." She said pulling away but grasping your shoulders tight, trying to reassure you. "I'm near the end of my shift, let's grab a coffee or tea?" She suggests

You bring your hands to your facing, wiping away tears and rubbing your tired eyes. Sniffling at the thought of Peyton betraying you.

"No, I need to go home. Get those certificates and prove to that asshole I am worthy of my title" You say sternly, grabbing a tissue from the box on the bedside table and blowing your nose.

"I'll give a lift, where do you live?" Clarissa asked

"Windsor, so about 30 minutes from base." You said

Clarissa nodded and then grabbed your arm and walked out of the ICU with you.

As the doors closed, Soap opened his eyes and looked up around him, still shocked at the conversation he overhead.

"He was a cunt" He muttered in agreement with Clarissa before closing his eyes again.

...

As you reached Clarissa's car, it was only once inside and looking at the dashboard you saw it was 17:36 pm. 12 hours ago you were in the OR with Peyton and Clarissa, delving deep into Soap. 12 hours later you were on your way back home, a place you hadn't been for almost 3 months.

Clarissa turned on the radio and inputted your address in the car's inbuilt navigation system. You laid back into the passenger seat, drained again, but determined to prove your worth to that bastard.

"What is his problem?" You blurt out

Clarissa briefly look at you and then turned her attention back to the road.

"I don't know, he's always been intimidated by strong women, even us nurses." She sighed

"Ever thought about complaining? You ask

"Yeah, but I just could not be bothered. I just hope he moves on up to a desk job soon" She replied

"Hmm" You mumbled

You closed your eyes and your head rocked gently side to side with the motion of the car, you let the noise of your thoughts fill your brain as Clarissa drove on, humming to the music that came out of the radio.

Twenty minutes later, you both had reached your home. It was a small apartment complex near the town centre. As Clarissa parked up, you took the keys out of your scrub pocket, and picked the key that would unlock your home.

"Mind if you stay here?" You ask, turning to Clarissa who smiled and nodded.

"Of course, I'll go to Sainsbury's and get you something to eat" She said pointing to the local Sainsbury's opposite where she had parked.

"OOoh, could you get me a chicken caesar wrap meal deal please" You ask, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, sure thing" She said smiling before opening the door and getting out. You follow her move and get out too.

"I shouldn't be long" You say

"Don't worry, take your time, I'll be here" She said, giving you grin before walking off to Sainsbury's.

You turn and sigh, and walk up to the door of the apartment complex, buzzing in the four digit code and walked in.

Heading up the stairs, you reach the outside of your apartment, staring at the white door, gazing into the peephole. Sliding the key in, you turn and it clicked, pulling the handle you open the door and walk in. The smell of lavender fills your nose, the plug-in air freshener was working it's magic and instantly calmed your nerves.

You gazed around your home. Taking it all in. Nothing had changed, the books on the bookshelf where still there. Curtains you had slightly drew where still in the same position. Walking over the fridge, you open it. It was of course empty apart from a few bottles of sauce. It was exactly how you'd left it.

Moving towards the door of your room, you walk in and dropped yourself on the purple sheets of your bed, groaning into the pillow.

Aches vibrated along your legs, arms feeling weak, your turnover and stare at the ceiling that was covered in small plastic glow in the dark stars, not glowing due to the brightness of the room. Sliding off the bed, you sit crossed legged on the rug beside the bed, and pulled out a green box from underneath and opened it. It was filled with personal pieces of paper that dictated your life so far.

GCSE and A-Level results, papers from the doctors, national insurance details, old pay cheques. You stopped as you got to a piece of paper that had the confirmation of a place in the cadets that had been signed by The Captain. The early beginnings of your military career. You placed it on top of the other papers and sifted through until your found an A4 envelope with all you training from medical school, your results and certificates from the exams taken as a junior doctor up until last year when you were about to undertake an exam that would've made you a consultant.

"Heard you went psychotic whilst on shift." That sentence echoed again in your head. Your mind flashed images of your breakdown, how you nearly hurt yourself and others during your episode... The lump in your throat began to form. Clearing your throat you rummaged deeper in the green box of memories of times long forgotten.

At the bottom of the box you saw something gold glisten in the light. You reach for it and realise it was framed photo, a photo of 5 soldiers, all in green fatigues laughing. There was you in the middle, your hair short and baring your teeth, to your left was KD and MG both also pulling funny smiles, and then to your right was The Captain and Simon Riley. You took in the four faces of the soldiers, all of whom were now dead and gone. Bringing the frame closer, analysing the details of their grins. With your thumb, your run it over Simon.

"I miss you Simon" you say, your voice slightly breaking as tears begin to fill your eyes. You look closer at him, his big grin making his eyes crinkle, he had lifted his head up slightly towards the Captain. You gazed at his neck, something familiar caught your eye.

The mole on his jugular was there, plain as day. You had seen that mole, that size and in that region before. You squinted harder, a slight tingle flowed through you.

"No way" You whisper, bringing the frame even closer that it nearly touched your nose.

There it was. It couldn't be a coincidence. That same mole in the same spot was also on Ghost.

Could it be.. that Ghost... was actually Simon Riley?

[marxistswiftieism]

I know I posted about it on main but did I tell you guys about this white girl from a small town in the Midwest who claimed to be a half japanese israeli orthodox Jewish foreign student on educational visa but it turns out she was born and raised Christian with no Jewish family, both her parents are white, and she’s from the United States.

While doing all this she:

faked an accent for three years

claimed her father was a us embassy employee in Hokkaido

said that she went to high school is israel (a place she’s never been to)

pretended to speak Hebrew

was taking Japanese language classes despite claiming that she attended elementary school in japan

called other students racial slurs and pretended it was because English isn’t her first language even though it’s the only language she speaks

made fun of ME for wanting to convert to reform and said reformists aren’t really Jewish (remember: she isn’t Jewish. Like at all and hadn’t converted, she was just larping and lying about it)

was violently racist towards Muslim and arab students

tore down posters promoting palestinan peace marches and demonstrations including posters made by me and signed by a faculty chair

claimed she was abused and abandoned by her mother who she has a wonderful relationship with and whom she lives with

said that she had double eyelid surgery to make her look “more white” because she was being called j*p for being Japanese (she’s white) and that she got a nose job to look “less Jewish” (she’s not Jewish)

this isn’t even an exhaustive list this is like maybe half of what she did over the three years I’ve known her and after all this information came I it she still ran for president of the Asian student union and international student administration

[mariacallous]

This article was first published in Russian by the Siberia-based outlet People of Baikal. The following translation appeared in The Beet, a weekly email dispatch from Meduza in English covering Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Sign up here to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox.

“Don’t close your eyes! I told you: If you close them, I’ll stop doing the operation and send you home!” the surgeon hissed. 

It was 2009, and Natalya Badmayeva was lying on an operating table at the Republican Clinical Hospital in Ulan-Ude. She tried her best to stop trembling and keep her eyes open. After the surgeon made the last stitch, she told Natalya she could get up and go home. In the corridor, other patients were waiting their turn to go under the knife. 

Natalya, then a 20-year-old lawyer, had undergone eyelid surgery on her lunch break. “The operation took place clandestinely. I actually shouldn’t have been in that operating room,” she explained. “The surgery was over in half an hour.” 

Natalya put on a pair of dark glasses and went straight from the hospital to visit a client. At the pre-trial detention center entrance, she showed the duty officer her ID. “What did you get done? Your dabharyashki?” asked the officer, nodding knowingly. 

The term dabharyashka (from the Buryat word dabharyaa, which literally means “fold”) refers to the skin fold of the upper eyelid. Apparently, the officer had seen Natalya’s stitches through her sunglasses. She was one of the first people in Buryatia to have surgery to change the shape of her eyes. Three years later, she had another operation to make them even wider. 

The names of some of the people in this story have been changed at their request.

Scalpels, needles, and glue 

Many people of Asian descent are born with monolids — an eyelid shape that doesn’t have a crease. And some people go to great lengths to create this skin fold and widen their eyes. For those who undergo plastic surgery, the operation typically involves an incision along the upper eyelid, the removal of “excess” skin and fat, and the application of sutures to create an “eye-opening” crease (also known as a “double eyelid”). 

Blepharoplasty — the medical term for eyelid surgery — is the third most common plastic surgery procedure in the world, after breast augmentation and liposuction. With nearly half a million surgical procedures annually, Russia ranks ninth globally for the total number of plastic surgeries. But for eyelid surgery, Russia is in third place, with more than 92,000 operations in 2020 alone. 

Researchers in Russia note that the further east a region is from Moscow, the more eyelid surgeries are performed there. In Ulan-Ude — the regional capital of Buryatia, with a population of just over 400,000 people — there are about 10 clinics that offer this procedure for prices ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 rubles (about $225 to $335). 

Then there are the companies that offer “medical tours” to neighboring Mongolia. These packages cover a round-trip bus ticket from Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar, the operation itself, and an interpreter’s services. One popular clinic in Ulaanbaatar offered eyelid surgery for just 18,500 rubles ($210). By comparison, a local Korean clinic charged around 160,000 rubles (about $1,800). Performers, entrepreneurs, and officials who want to get their eyelids done usually travel to South Korea, where the procedure costs anywhere from $1,800 to $3,000. 

Other people try to alter their eyelids themselves — using a needle or a sharpened pencil to damage the delicate skin, hoping that the scarring will form a crease over time. Alternative, less painful methods include using eyelid glue or adhesive tape to create a “double eyelid” temporarily. 

Natalya Badmayeva’s mother, Tamara, used a sharpened pencil to break the skin along her own upper eyelids; when the scratches healed, they formed a crease. Natalya would later try to replicate this procedure herself but found it too painful. “I realized that I wouldn’t be able to ‘draw’ a deep enough cut, and so I didn’t keep doing it,” she recalled.

When Natalya was a teenager, her mother bought her eyelid glue, but Natalya found it uncomfortable to wear. “It feels heavy on your eyelid. If you use glue, you can feel how everything is being pulled together. If you use tape, it’s uncomfortable when you blink,” she said. 

Tamara, who has since passed away, never explained why she gave herself eyelid creases or wanted her daughter to have them, too. “I didn’t want to look narrow-eyed. I wanted to look wide-eyed,” Natalya said, explaining her own thinking. “In my youth, Buryats were [considered] village people. Narrow-eyed, swarthy, uneducated, Buryat-speaking — this was the image I was trying to escape. I specifically didn’t learn to speak Buryat and had my eyelids done twice.” 

‘No one told me to my face’

Several sources told People of Baikal that, as children, they dreamed of being ethnically Russian; when their family members spoke their native language, they felt embarrassed and pretended they couldn’t understand them. 

Natalya remembers encountering aggression due to her appearance when she left Buryatia for the first time at age 18. She and her friends were waiting in line at a food stand in Novosibirsk when some old ladies started harassing them. “These old ladies said, ‘Who are you? We don’t go to your country!’ and they pushed us out of the line. We told them we’re from Buryatia, which is part of Russia. We’re citizens of the Russian Federation, just like them. But the old ladies didn’t believe us,” Natalya said. 

Ivan Romanov, 38, moved from Ulan-Ude to Moscow in 2012. A dentist by training, he spent a year applying for jobs in the capital. However, he found that some dental clinics — including ones at public hospitals — would post job ads explicitly seeking “Slavic” physicians. 

Even clinics that didn’t have this requirement wouldn’t hire Ivan. Having a Russian name and surname was often enough to get him an interview, but they never called him back. All his classmates soon found jobs, but he remained unemployed. “I didn’t understand what was happening. I’d go home, cry because I felt powerless, and get angry,” Ivan recalled. “No one told me to my face that they wouldn’t hire me because I’m Buryat, but the logic was clear.” 

Ivan took screenshots of the job ads from public clinics looking to hire “Slavic” doctors and wrote a complaint to the Russian Health Ministry. In response, ministry officials told him that government institutions don’t place such ads and suggested that the postings had appeared on the website “due to a technical glitch.” (At the same time, they acknowledged that such ads are common among private clinics.)

Ivan believes his dental career didn’t take off because of his appearance. After a year of unsuccessfully trying to land a job in his field, he began working for a company in Moscow selling medical equipment. Today, he runs his own business. 

At 35, Ivan had eyelid surgery to make himself look “European.” A surgeon at a Moscow clinic reshaped his eyelids, creating creases and removing the epicanthus — a skin fold stretching from the upper eyelid, covering the eye’s inner corner. Ivan had dreamed of this since his youth.

No shortage of insults 

The discourse around Asian people’s appearance inevitably leads to a discussion about “narrow eyes,” notes Erzhen Erdeni, a Buryat anti-colonial activist and researcher from the Siberian city of Irkutsk. “The expression ‘narrow eyes’ makes my blood boil,” she said. “Asian eyes can be considered narrow only if they’re compared with European eyes, which are taken as the standard.” 

“Russian speakers have come up with no shortage of insults for Asian eyes,” added Erzhen. 

The activist still remembers the first time she was insulted over her appearance. She was seven years old and walking to school alone in Irkutsk when a group of boys started throwing rocks at her and calling her names. 

People who don’t look “European” encounter racism everywhere in Russia, Erzhen said. After she moved to Moscow to study, for example, uniformed officers stopped her every two weeks or so, asking to see her documents, fishing for bribes, and threatening to take her to the police station. “I could walk with a Slavic-looking friend, and she wouldn’t get asked any questions. But I was stopped all the time — it could happen anywhere,” said Erzhen, who now lives in Tbilisi, Georgia. “I developed a persistent fear of people in uniform that I carry with me to this day. Every time I see a man in a uniform in Russia, my heart sinks, and the anxiety kicks in.” 

According to the SOVA Center, which monitors extremism and hate crimes in Russia, there was a spike in racially motivated attacks in 2023. Researchers recorded at least 60 violent acts last year — up from nine in 2022. In at least 21 of these cases, the attackers targeted people whom they perceived as “Asian.” 

SOVA Center director Alexander Verkhovsky said that while anyone who “looks different” can fall victim to a hate crime in Russia, people of “conventionally Asian appearance” are targeted most often. This includes not only Central Asians but also people indigenous to Russia, such as Buryats, Tyvans, and Kalmyks. “The attacker isn’t asking to see a passport; he’s looking at facial features,” Verkhovsky underscored.  

“If you’re a person of ‘non-Slavic’ appearance in any public place [...] you always have to be on guard. An insult could come your way at any moment,” said Buryat journalist Aleksandra Garmazhapova. “Any old conflict could end with the phrase: ‘Go back to China!’” 

Garmazhapova moved to St. Petersburg with her family at age six. She got involved in political activism in 2005 after far-right extremists murdered 20-year-old anti-fascist activist Timur Kacharava in the city center. She left Russia eight years ago and now heads the Free Buryatia Foundation. 

The Sova Center’s researchers attribute the surge in racially motivated violence in 2023 to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. “War inevitably brings about an increase in aggression in society. Legitimizing aggression is a side effect of war,” Verkhovsky explained. 

‘Why am I hurting myself a second time?’

Valentina Radnayeva, the head of the ophthalmology department at the Children’s Hospital in Ulan-Ude, said that people of all ages come in for eyelid surgery. It’s the most common cosmetic procedure in Buryatia, and the hospital accepts not only locals but also patients from Tyva, Khakassia, Altai, and other republics across Russia. “For young people, we don’t remove skin [from the upper eyelid]; we just form a fold. And it turns out beautifully!” the surgeon said with a smile. 

Enkhmaa, a surgeon at a clinic in Ulaanbaatar that patients on medical tours from Ulan-Ude often visit, claimed that eyelid surgery makes people “more beautiful” and more self-confident. She operates on patients 12 and up, so long as minors have parental consent. According to Enkhmaa, there hasn’t been a single case in her 20 years of experience where a patient regretted making their eyes wider (she said that the most common complaints have to do with side effects.) “This surgery changes people’s lives for the better,” the surgeon maintained. 

Natalya, the lawyer from Ulan-Ude, said that she also wanted to have “beautiful” eyes — and that’s why she opted for a second surgery. “I wasn’t satisfied with the results of the first operation. The shape of my eyes looked too natural. I wanted to see a difference. I wanted my eyes to be wider,” she explained. 

Natalya’s first surgery, at the Republican Hospital in 2009, took place without a consultation and only cost three or four thousand rubles. For her second surgery, she saved up about 20,000 rubles and went to a private clinic. But somehow, she found it scarier. “I remember lying on the operating table and saying to myself, ‘Stupid me! Why am I hurting myself a second time?’ The doctor was polite, he explained everything, there was good anesthetic, but it was still unpleasant,” she recalled.

After the operation, Natalya remained under observation at the clinic for 30 or 40 minutes. Then, her brother picked her up and took her home. She was on maternity leave at the time, so she didn’t have to go back to work. Natalya says the bruises and swelling from the second surgery went away after a few weeks — but to this day, she remains sensitive to bright light. 

“My friends don’t see a big difference between how I looked before and after the operation. But I think that I’ve changed,” Natalya said. “It’s possible that this is how I feel on the inside. I’ve lived with my eyelid folds longer than I lived without them. I’m more comfortable this way.”

Ivan, the dentist, paid 85,000 rubles (more than $950) to go under the knife in Moscow in 2020. “I was conscious, under local anesthesia, and I heard everything the doctor said. He explained what was happening in detail and commented, ‘You were right to get the surgery. You have a large accumulation of fat, and it weighs down your eyelids. It makes you seem sad. We’re going to correct it now, and you’ll look just great!’”

However, Ivan wasn’t happy with the end result. “I went through every circle of hell. It took a long time for everything to heal. I spent a lot of money to remove the scars left over from the stitches. Moreover, the surgeon didn’t stitch the skin of the upper eyelid on one eye properly,” he complained. “My life didn’t change at all. People who know me well noticed that something was different, but it’s usually difficult for them to say what exactly.” 

‘At least you can influence how you look’

Anna Tsyrenova, a 38-year-oldfrom Ulan-Ude, was surprised when she recently learned that all her friends her own age had undergone eyelid surgery by the time they were 20. “Many people hide the fact that they’ve had this surgery. It’s such a sensitive topic that even friends don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “When I finally started asking around, they said they had their eyelids done to look more kempt.”

Anna says it never occurred to her to have eyelid surgery. And she rejects the notion that she has experienced discrimination in Russia — even though she’s been mistaken for a tourist, told that she “speaks Russian well,” and stopped by police officers in Moscow and St. Petersburg. “I don’t judge people who’ve gone to the plastic surgeon and made their eyes wider. I just don’t understand them,” she said.

According to social scientist Maria Vyatchina, plastic surgery can give patients a sense of control over their own lives — even when they feel powerless to influence the world around them. “There are things you cannot change, but you can at least influence how you look. This gives you a sense of agency,” she explained. 

The development of new medical technologies is another powerful driver behind the popularity of plastic surgery, making it less risky, less painful, and cheaper. Indeed, certain surgeries are becoming more accessible and even “fashionable,” with trends transcending borders. For example, the eyelid surgery industry in Russia and Mongolia is heavily influenced by South Korea, which, in turn, is largely guided by standards adopted in Japan. 

Vyatchina also pointed to the work of anthropologists Sara Lenehan and Carmen Alvaro Jarrín, who found that the popularity of “nose jobs” in Iran and Brazil reflects shifts in how people signal their wealth and aspirations of upward mobility. The same is true in Russia, where poverty, a lack of social mobility, and patriarchal norms make one’s appearance a type of social currency. 

In this context, what eye shape is considered “beautiful” is directly related to popular attitudes. But, as Vyatchina underscored, beauty standards are far from neutral or implicit — on the contrary, they’re politically charged. “Racism and xenophobia take different forms, including defining dominant beauty standards that leave no room for acceptance and discussing diversity,” she said. “There is so much racism in Russian society.” 

‘Don’t become the dragon’

In the spring of 2022, Free Buryatia Foundation president Aleksandra Garmazhapova launched a campaign for the “Denazification of Russia.” On Instagram, she asked her followers to share stories of their encounters with racism and xenophobia. Over the next three weeks, she received some 4,000 testimonies. 

The responses show that even indigenous people who resemble ethnic Russians — including Udmurt, Chuvash, and other peoples — have to contend with racism in Russia. People recounted how, from childhood, they were censured for speaking their native language. One person said he had internalized the idea that it was “shameful” to be Mari. The campaign received countless emotional accounts: many people had never had the opportunity to talk openly about racism, while others had previously failed to recognize that what they experienced constitutes discrimination. 

The Russian language often lacks the terminology for discussions about racism and xenophobia. During her interview, Garmazhapova drew attention to how she sometimes slipped into using “not just literal translations but English terms.” Yet, Vyatchina says it’s still important to use these words, even if they seem complex or incomprehensible. Researchers believe that terms more suitable to Russian realities will emerge when Russian society begins to discuss racism actively. 

At the same time, Garmazhapova warned against going to rhetorical extremes, which she believes are just as harmful as not discussing racism at all. “The media, activists, and everyone else must work to avoid becoming xenophobes like Vladimir Putin. When fighting a dragon, you cannot become that same dragon yourself,” she said. “We must make every effort to fight narratives of hatred, racism, and xenophobia and not to end up producing the same ideas, just in a different sauce.” 

Now a mother of two, Natalya says she fears for her son and daughter because they are Buryat and feels the need to protect them from harmful stereotypes. “I understand the attitude the world has developed towards Buryats. The word ‘Buryat’ has become a symbol of savagery and cruelty. People need someone to hate, to take out their anger on. It will be difficult to rehabilitate this general perception and attitude,” she said. 

Natalya remembers how her own mother cared for her, buying her eyelid glue and encouraging her to get “folds.” Assuming her children would share her own insecurities, she tried to take the same approach with them. “I thought, Why don’t I tape my six-year-old daughter’s [eyelids],” Natalya said. “Thank God my child has a brain! She ran around a little and then took off the strips [of tape] I had stuck on her. She thinks she’s beautiful the way she is. She has insecurities, but they have nothing to do with the shape of her eyes.”

[derpinette]

what those transracials (2azn) fail to consider is that instead of immediately going for eyelid surgery that never looks right, they should be getting those nosebridges shaved down to at least look a little mixed because that is like the number one thing that makes asians what they are phenotypically

[liminalh-creations]

15. downtown.

the evil eye doesn't always work, and there's millions between me and you! so just sing to me about eggplants or anything, except for how tired we are...

sketched some familiar (and unfamiliar) faces of the Black Organisation (in civilian clothes)

click below to find out some more details about them! minor warning for mild spoilers up to chapter 15 :)

point of interest: they're all somehow from former east bloc or once-soviet countries

Chianti, Sniper

chinese (?), under 30 years old

VERY short, has a complex about this

she's got the nickname 'Key' but if you call her that without her consent she will throw you

her tattoos are butterfly-and-eye themed (you might see that she's got two tattoos in the drawing, teehee). also, you cannot tell me that the reason for her canon tattoo ISNT a bullet with butterfly wings reference

says "lol" and "lmfao" in casual conversation

might have gotten corrective laser eye surgery (or something similar) - the tattoo on her eyelid might indicate a slightly more long-lasting problem

“Try me again, asshole!” she shrieks, “I’ll stab your dick, too!”

has a girlfriend(?) who gifts italian designer products

vague sibling relationship with Cognac; they're either bickering or they're besties or they're teaming up to gossip about others

“She’s a gamer.”

Korn, Sniper

has a very hoarse voice, possibly resulting from some chronic problem? possible that he doesnt talk much because of this issue

around 45-50 y.o & mongolian

i gave him a wife because i think he deserves someone normal and sane to return home to. according to Vodka's 'accidental' namedrop, she's called Sarnai (the name means Rose in Mongolian <3). also, he's implied to become a father soon

Chianti called him Eeyore in this chapter and it might be one of the funniest things i've ever written. i actually love their dynamic in canon so much that it's a big part of my inspiration for this fic; they just feel so much like they have a life outside of their mandated Black Organisation Cameo Appearance

he and Vodka practice ARB

i sent my friend that picture and he said "this man looks like he's never put any real effort into how he dresses and, in fact, never will" - and honestly? yep.

Arrack, Assassin (?)

arab, though exact national origin is relatively hard to clock (Jenever only figured it out because she remembered Shiraz indirectly referencing him)

was mentioned in Akai's notes from 29/7/2010 >:3c

has a very polished appearance, sculpted muscles type beat

mean slut, "mad dog", self-described bastard. VERY flashy fighter, but also "doesn't care if he loses so long as you're hurt worse"

has some pretty normal Star Wars opinions tbh

"resident fuckboy" / "fuckboy-in-chief" -- context clues indicate he might be a honeypot assassin (like Akai speculates in his notes)

generally easy-going despite being unsettlingly intense, but has a very short temper when Shiraz is brought up. (his degree of Shiraz-obsession probably outshines Jenever's tbh)

he's a one-off B.O. member who shows up in a spin-off comic or something, but you literally cannot introduce a character like that and expect me not to sink my evil little claws into them

Sambuca, "Audiovisual manipulation, back-up IT expert"

slavic & eastern european (exact national origin not yet divulged); around 50 y.o woman

wore a metalcore t-shirt to PT

Gin's previous main IT crow. was part of Tequila's Tokyo office at the time of Teq's death; planted there mostly to train

perfectly faked all of Jenever's and Red's credentials to get them into the japanese police institutions. also seems to be in charge of editing Crows out of CCTV footage. overall, really important behind-the-scenes security/cleanup job

her arms are covered in disparate stick-and-poke tattoos. motifs are not unified. a lot of the words/letters are in cyrillic (not visible in the art bc of leather jacket, sorry hehe)

seems to have a phobia of guns/firearms

Cognac, Hardware & Demolitions

south-east asian (exact national origin not yet divulged)

around 30ish years old. not THAT short (like idk 169cm?), but has major gremlin energy

HORRIBLE frosted tips hairstyle situation

vegetarian

wideset body, physically quite strong but has a vaguely soft appearance

remembers Rye sparring with their team a few times. seems p keen to gossip about him (and anyone, for that matter)

"I am literally a whole bisexual!"

gave his denim jacket to Red Label back in Afghanistan (Arrack was soooo mad about this, probably bc they have matching jackets or smth)

[beautyoflilies]

Aegyosal

What is it?

If you’re familiar with Korean beauty trends, you may have heard of the term “Aegyo sal” popping up in recent years. The term “Aegyo sal” roughly translates to “cute skin bags” in English and refers to the small puffs of under-eye fat, which is said to accentuate the eyes and add to a more youthful appearance.

Origin

Natural Aegyo sal aren’t the eyebags you get from a lack of sleep, but rather the under-eye fullness that is often seen in the lower eyelids of newborns and younger age groups; hence, they’re associated with youthfulness and innocence. They also tend to puff up, even in adults, when they smile, associating aegyosal with cheer and friendliness.

Problems?

Amidst this beauty phenomenon, a discussion on gender ideals and biases emerges. The widespread desire for an infantile appearance, often amplified through media and entertainment, mirrors a historic desire to appear infantile, innocent, and perhaps thus pure under the male gaze. This trend may also be reflective of "Aegyo,” a behavior centered around acting cute, which could be similarly tied to perpetuating and embodying the gender norms of female “purity” within a normalized gender order.

Today

The trend of aegyosal made a comeback largely due to the Korean entertainment industry, where celebrities, such as the soloist IU, Jungkook from BTS, and Joy from Red Velvet, with aegyosal were considered to have fresh and sweet charm. The desire in Korean beauty for a youthful and innocent appearance, as well as the larger beauty trend of “plump” skin called “gwang,” also fuelled the popularity of aegyosal.

Cosmetics

This has led to the rise of aegyosal surgery and fillers in younger generations, cosmetic procedures that use fat grafts, implants, or hyaluronic acid fillers to create a sausage roll shape like the aegyosal. In more recent years, it has spread to several other Asian countries, such as Singapore and China, and has begun to incorporate itself into their cultural beauty standards.

A Less Invasive Solution

While surgery and filler remain popular in Korea, a much more risk-free, convenient, and cost-friendly way to accentuate the aegyosal has arisen. By using makeup, concealer, highlighter, and strategically placed eyeshadow – even the invention of specific “aegyosal pens” in recent years – individuals can enhance their under-eye area, giving the impression of bigger, puppy-dog eyes without going under the knife.

[ivypalooza]

Plastic Surgery and the Cultural Divide: Korean and South Asian Women

Plastic surgery has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon, especially among Asian women, and plays a significant role in shaping beauty standards in both South Korea and South Asia. I aim to explore the complex relationship between plastic surgery and the divide between Korean and South Asian women, shedding light on the harsh beauty standards prevalent in Korea, while also addressing the socioeconomic factors that limit access to these procedures in South Asia. Additionally, I will examine how the influence of online celebrities and influencers intensify the pressure to conform to conventional beauty norms. There are so many articles related to this topic, if you are interested just search up anything related about plastic surgery in Korea.

The Korean Beauty Ideal and Plastic Surgery

South Korea has earned a global reputation for its thriving cosmetic surgery industry, with procedures like double eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, and jawline contouring being particularly popular. The country's beauty standards emphasize features such as large, expressive eyes, a V-shaped face, and a slender nose. These ideals have led to a surge in demand for plastic surgery, as individuals seek to conform to these narrow definitions of beauty. The prevalence of plastic surgery in Korea is fueled by societal pressures and a competitive job market. Many South Koreans view cosmetic enhancements as a means to gain a competitive edge in various aspects of life, including education, employment, and relationships. As a result, plastic surgery has become normalized and is often perceived as a routine part of self-improvement.

Socioeconomic Factors and Limited Access in South Asia

In contrast, South Asia faces significant socioeconomic disparities that limit access to plastic surgery for a large portion of the population. The cost of cosmetic procedures, coupled with economic constraints, creates a barrier that only a privileged few can overcome. As a result, plastic surgery remains a luxury accessible primarily to the affluent elite, perpetuating a divide between those who can afford it and those who cannot. This economic divide contributes to the stigmatization of individuals who do not conform to conventional beauty norms. Those who are unable to undergo cosmetic procedures may face discrimination or feel marginalized, further reinforcing the idea that conforming to these standards is essential for social acceptance and success.

Online Influencers and the Pressure to Conform

The rise of social media platforms has amplified the influence of celebrities and influencers, creating a virtual space where beauty ideals are constantly reinforced. South Asian women, like their Korean counterparts, are bombarded with images of flawless skin, perfectly sculpted features, and slender bodies. This constant exposure can create a sense of inadequacy and pressure to conform to these unrealistic standards. Many South Asian women look up to Korean celebrities and influencers who epitomize the Korean beauty ideal. The desire to emulate these figures, combined with the fear of not looking like them, can lead to feelings of self-doubt and even self-loathing. More than half of the celebrities and influencers we see have gone through with plastic surgery, in both South Asian and Korean beauty. Also looking at female K-pop idols as well, it is hard to remind ourselves that we are not supposed to look like that. I myself have constantly compared my body, my image, and my face to K-pop idol extremeism. Think about how problematic it is to even call K-pop stars as “idols”; as if we should worship them. This phenomenon worsens the already harsh beauty standards prevalent in both regions.

Changing the Narrative: Embracing Diversity and Individuality

To bridge the divide between Korean and South Asian women, it is essential to challenge and redefine prevailing beauty standards. Embracing diversity and celebrating individuality is crucial in dismantling the notion that there is a one-size-fits-all definition of beauty. By promoting positive self-image and self-acceptance, both regions can work towards creating a more inclusive and accepting environment for all women, regardless of their appearance.

Conclusion

Plastic surgery plays a complex role in shaping beauty standards for Korean and South Asian women. While Korea's thriving cosmetic surgery industry reflects the influence of harsh beauty standards, socioeconomic factors in South Asia limit access to these procedures, perpetuating stigmatization for those who do not conform. The online presence of celebrities and influencers further exacerbates the pressure to conform to conventional beauty norms. By prioritizing diversity and individuality, both regions can work towards dismantling these harmful beauty ideals and creating a more accepting society for all women.

[vlyteng]

Beauty standards and its relation to racism and colourism

I am a film junkie and I adore Japanese films. My love for Japanese films started when I watched a specific movie, which just so happens to be one of the most breathtaking films I’ve ever watched in my life - Helter Skelter. Helter Skelter is a movie that tells the story of a famous actress, Lilico, who has had several cosmetic procedures over her body. Lilico makes life terrible for people around her as she struggles to manage both her professional and personal issues as a result of the adverse effects of her surgery (Letterboxd 2012). It is based on a manga that Kyoko Okazaki wrote and released between 1995 and 1996 (Cherif 2022). The message of the movie is made clear to be depicting the extent we can go to achieve what we deem as "perfect beauty", but how it can lead to an unhealthy obsession with our physical appearance. Throughout the film, the audience will witness Lilico’s fall into an endless, abyssal spiral of depression as she tries to fix the side effects of surgery with, well, even more surgery.

Beauty standards in every culture look different. In the West, the hourglass figure (otherwise known as “slim thicc”) is the goal! Some features that are commonly celebrated and strived for in Western countries are light-coloured eyes, blonde hair, pale skin and small noses. The beauty standard in Asia also has a similar standard but skinny is what most people go for. Obviously, Asians do not have the same genetics as Westerners. If someone frequently consumes beauty content from Western culture, they may be influenced to change their features in some way in order to fit what they think is the “standard of beauty”. Some may think beauty standards are merely just guidelines for people to follow to be seen as more attractive, but I think it goes much deeper than that.

I believe beauty standards are built on the foundation of racism and colourism, discrimination or prejudice towards those with dark complexion. You might think it’s a stretch but hear me out. A good example of this is when we discuss skin tones. Have you ever thought to yourself “Man, my skin is so dark” or “Man, I wish I had a more pale complexion”? Why are we so scared of getting a little tan from the sun? Why do we immediately deem darker skin = undesirable? As a Chinese, why are bigger eyes and double eyelids more adored than mono or hooded lids despite it being the most common outcome for our ethnicity? All these questions point to an underlying distorted perception that we were taught since young and continue to experience in our daily lives. They take the form of seemingly harmless little statements, like when the aunt that nobody likes asks you if you’re going to keep eating those pineapple tarts during Chinese New Year, or when your beautician mentions how perfect you’d look if you just got a little nose lift during your monthly visit to the beauty salon.

All in all, there is no such thing as “perfect beauty” as the definition of it is so different for every single person, everyone has their own version of beauty. Aiming to achieve it is unrealistic and will not only cost you millions of dollars, but also endless amounts of mental strain. I understand that it is easy to fall into the rabbit hole that is insecurity and anxiety over appearances and our bodies. But something I truly believe is that without our body, no matter what it looks like, we will not exist. Your body is constantly trying to take care of itself and we should be grateful for having two arms and two legs, functioning ears and nose, eyes to see the world and a mouth to taste Kyochon fried chicken (yes, I am craving it as I am writing this). To end this, I’d like to dedicate a poem I wrote for an e-book about self-acceptance and to love our body because it is trying its best to keep us alive every day. 

Don't be angry with your body Your arms lift the weight of responsibilities Your legs walk you through life Your eyes see the beauty behind the ugly Your stomach houses butterflies that make you feel alive Your nose lets you smell that wonderful apple pie that you love Your body has been through everything with you it does not deserve your hatred and your anger. - S. Z Tao

References

Cherif, M. C 2022, The Dark Side of Beauty Standards in Helter Skelter: A semiotic analysis, The Artifice, viewed 8 June 2023, <https://the-artifice.com/helter-skelter/>.

Letterboxd 2012, Helter Skelter, Letterboxd, viewed 7 June 2023, <https://letterboxd.com/film/helter-skelter-2012/>.