What Are You Hiding?

By: Kate M. Serrano

Almost everyone has at least one real or perceived physical imperfection. You may either think your nose is too big or that your lips do not have the perfect pout of Angelina Jolie’s. For those who are financially capable, seeking the help of a plastic surgeon is the quick solution. For those who are not, cramming a hat on the head to conceal a thinning topknot or a long-sleeved blouse, oversized shirt or ball cap can often provide a quick cover-up that is a cheaper and less painful alternative.

In extreme cases, body image issues may fall into the category of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). This is a condition where a person obsessively worries about appearance, even for individuals who may actually look attractive. 93 percent of women and 82 percent of men openly admit that they care about their appearance and work to look more attractive while someone with BDD is overly preoccupied with worrying about his or her looks that it interferes with daily life.

In 2012, there more than 14 million cosmetic procedures performed in the United States alone and this is all in the pursuit of beauty. Below is a rundown of the top 3 body parts (in random order) people hide as they are most prone to criticism.

The Breasts. Breast augmentation tops the list of cosmetic surgeries performed in the U.S. in 2010 while breast reconstruction is among the top five reconstructive plastic surgeries. Breast issues can be disturbing for both men and women. For women most especially, the breasts have deep significance so problems with breast perception can have wide-ranging quality of life implications.

The Stomach. A large or sagging stomach is hard to conceal with layers of clothing. Unfortunately, women who have given birth may have trouble getting rid of that extra pouch of pregnancy-related stomach flab. It's hard to make a rounded belly look like anything other than what it is. Exercise and surgery may be the only two viable options.

The Face. The face is a person's most distinctive and recognizable body part but people most of the time perceive their facial features as being too large, too small, or uneven. It probably doesn't help that apart from the way the lips, nose, eyes, complexion, chin, and forehead are formed individually they have to work well together to create a pleasing whole. Nose reshaping and eyelid surgery were two of the top five cosmetic surgery procedures performed in 2010 in the United States.

Depending on the standards of beauty in a given culture, body parts transform to conceal or downplay specific flaws. But nobody is perfect. So don’t let the judgemental and harsh ones of today convince you that you’re not beautiful.