Society has a sick obsession with plastic surgery, and it’s only getting worse.

Perky breasts, firm butt, flat abs, slender thighs and a flawless complexion are the elements that make up the perfect model, but is that the perfect woman?

Celebrities known for certain characteristics, such as Angelina Jolie and her lips or Beyoncé and her booty, are not to blame for society’s desire to have such perfect physical features. Unfortunately, dieting and body-sculpting workouts are no longer the desired methods of obtaining perfection.

Having saggy boobs or a flat gluteus is now considered sinful due to the availability of plastic surgery. In as little as a 20-minute consultation and an authorized check, both women and men can make their body ideals a reality.

Heidi Montag made headlines with her full-body remodel and “H” size breasts to match her first initial.

Prior to the surgery, Montag had hundreds of thousands of dollars from reality television, an apartment located in the heart of Los Angeles and a boyfriend she was in love with. Some people said she had it all, which makes her extreme surgeries such a mystery. Why did a 100-pound girl in her 20s with fame, fortune, love and success need such a drastic body change?

Laura Orlich, a licensed professional counselor at UA’s Counseling and Psych Services who specializes in food and body image issues, says that plastic surgery can be great for those who medically need it, but for people only interested in aesthetics it may not be the right answer.

“If someone has a problem with a hand and they need a plastic surgeon to rebuild that hand, of course we want that to be available,” she said. “If someone thinks going to a plastic surgeon, increasing their breast size or decreasing their nose is going to be their ticket to happiness, then they are likely to be disappointed. I think at this time in their lives it may not be as fulfilling as they are hoping for. It might not be the answer.”

Teens had the least amount of cosmetic procedures, making up only 2 percent of the 2010 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgery. Such procedures included nose jobs, male breast reductions, pinning ears back, laser hair removal and skin resurfacing.

With 747,000 total procedures in 2010, people in their 20s increased their plastic procedures by 2 percent from 2009.

Although the increase is small, in the bigger picture it is a huge catastrophe. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery made predictions for the surgery trends of 2011, hypothesizing that the demographics of plastic surgery will keep diversifying with more men considering and opting for cosmetic enhancements.

This plastic surgery epidemic has not yet reached its worst. In 10 years it will be abnormal not to have the number of a plastic surgeon on speed dial. Shaking what our mommas gave us will be a thing of the past.

Whether it’s an issue of insecurity, wanting the hottest trends, or keeping up with the Kardashians, plastic surgery is dangerously changing the perception of physical beauty. A crooked nose, pear-shaped curves or smaller breasts should not only be considered gorgeous but should also not touched by a surgeon’s blade.

As college students, we are still building our dreams and aspirations for our future. Instead of focusing all our energy on the inevitability of wrinkling skin and sagging breasts, we should be creating lasting friendships and a resume impossible to ignore.

— Caroline Nachazel is a junior studying journalism and communication. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu or on Twitter via @WildcatOpinions.