Many things have changed since entering the 21st Century: Technological advancements, medical breakthroughs and a different philosophy to life have all combined to completely alter public perception. Long-standing taboos have been pushed aside by progressive thinking and cosmetic surgery is not only acceptable now but also celebrated.

Talk The Talk

Thirty years ago if someone dared to get plastic surgery it was done in secret. Celebrities would sneak into hospitals and clinics, claiming health problems if they were discovered.

There was stigma attached to changing your appearance and a hush-hush attitude prevailed throughout society. Everyone was still doing it just no one was talking about it.

The ironic thing about this attitude was that people had been changing their appearance for centuries. Corsets, heavy powder and wigs were all used to alter looks in times gone by. Why this desire for a different look suddenly became taboo in society is unknown. Whatever the reason for this negative perception towards changing our bodies it has certainly been shattered now and replaced with a positive outlook on personal transformation.

Today people are loud and proud about their procedures. People talk about what they've had done, who did it and how much they love it. Even men are spilling about facelifts and hair restoration in a way that never would have happened in the past.

Celebrities are walking out of clinics, bruised and wrapped, and heading over to their favorite restaurants for lunch or dinner with friends. Botox parties have become fashionable and keeping abreast of cosmetic surgical procedures is all the rage.

So What Changed?

Many things coincided to change the old attitude of cosmetic surgery being embarrassing or not something to be considered.

First was the realization of just how many people had done it behind closed doors. Celebrities began to tell the public the truth behind their ever-youthful looks.

Botox came on the scene and revolutionized cosmetic procedures. No longer did you have to go under the knife to see spectacular results and wrinkle reduction.

With more people opting for cosmetic correction the prohibitive prices came down and suddenly it wasn't just the wealthy that could afford to alter the one thing that was causing a bad self-image.

Governments did their part by introducing tighter regulations on plastic surgeons and clinics in order to ensure a higher level of safety for the patient and the media stories following all of these events brought cosmetic surgery, once and for all, out of the darkness and into the light.

Reality TV since then has come out with a number of shows that follow ordinary people going through the process of extraordinary transformations. These shows have a wide viewing audience and detail the emotional journey of someone who starts out unhappy with their appearance and leaves with a greater sense of self-esteem and confidence.

While many people agree that happiness has to come from within, what these programs have examined is the fact that for many, this is not the reality of their life. By altering the outside they are able to finally transform on the inside. It's a rewarding experience for those involved.

This kind of mass exposure to the idea of cosmetic surgery as simply a personal life choice along with the many other choices we make on a day-to-day basis is probably the biggest reason why the taboos are gone.

So, if cosmetic alteration is something you have considered for yourself, you can be secure in the knowledge that you are not alone. The stigma attached was left behind at the turn of the century.