Latinas Under The Knife: Narratives of Experience of Latina Women and Their Decision to Undergo Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery is a surgical procedure through which one modifies or improves the appearance of a physical feature, irregularity or defect. It is a rapidly expanding market, in which cosmetic procedures are the product, and women the main customers (Sanchez Taylor, 2012). In 2011, the United States had 3.11 million procedures per 1,000 population, positioning it in the top 5 countries with greater number of procedures worldwide with a total of 3,100,000 (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, 2011). In 2012, 91% of all procedures were performed on women (ASPS, 2012). In response to the growing normalcy of cosmetic surgery in the nation, and the impact of patriarchal standards of body image on women (Sanchez Taylor, 2012; Hayes & Jones, 2009), several questions have emerged about women’s motivations, their agency in decision making, and the social factors, such as class, gender, race and ethnicity, that led them into this market (Edmonds, 2009; Adams, 2010; Gimlin, 2010; Brooks, 2004), as well as extensive debate on the subject among feminists (Featherstone 1987; Bordo, 1997; Davis, 1995; Gimlin 2000; Morgan, 2009)