Fox eyes, facial harmony, hollow cheekbones, “glass” skin, symmetrical face, a button nose; the list of what is considered conventionally “desirable qualities” goes on. These traits become more important as we enter our adult lives and become more conscious of social and beauty standards. They creep into our conversations with one another, factor into our judgments, influence how we perceive ourselves, make us change, make us cry and make us weak. We have become abnormally focused upon these specific qualities, making us cross the fine line that involves balance between pursuing beauty and health.
The world is cruel— that is undebatable. From a young age, people are expected to conform to what’s “normal,” giving them unrealistic expectations. As you grow older, you’ll have to face the inevitable question: Are you hot or not? But this isn’t a sob story about how we’re all ugly, or a self-help and wellness guide; this is about the things everyone, including me, continue to do to make ourselves more attractive and more importantly, how we cross the line in doing so.
Now, why do we do it? Why do we go out of our way to look better? The answer isn’t complex; we know what the benefits are. Attraction has been turned into a modern day currency. Those gifted with the ideal look are given better initial reactions, leeway and higher respect. Analyzing this more narrowly, this can be observed in the field of psychology as “the halo effect.“
Nora Murphy, Ph.D., professor of psychological science, explains that “the ‘halo effect’ refers to the fact that [in] people who are judged more attractive, we tend to attribute additional positive traits beyond the attractiveness. We think more positively of these people across multiple domains. We think they’re smarter, we think they have more social skills, that they’re going to be more successful.”
There is a fine line dividing taking care of yourself and sacrificing health for appearance. Speaking from experience, when I cut my hair shorter to something more trendy, or when I went to the gym consistently over the summer, I chose to take care of myself in order to feel confident. But some behavior isn’t healthy, like when I would skip meals, or when I would try to go for a run seven days out of the week. Understanding the appropriate judgments for what’s “too far” and what’s for well-being will always be at your discretion, yet a fine line exists dividing normal and abnormal.
Dr. Susan Jennifer Woolford, associate professor in the Child Health Evaluation and Research unit at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital Pediatric Comprehensive Weight Management Center at the University of Michigan, told Michigan Medicine in an article that “it’s developmentally normal for adolescents and teens to experience some insecurities, but if it’s interfering with their ability to enjoy social interactions or other activities, they may need help.”
Unfortunately, I have experienced crossing this fine line of “normal.” Due to this, I’ve learned that everything in life is about balance and that at a point in time, for seemingly everything, the cons outweigh the pros. The argument that “what’s wrong with working on myself and concentrating on my appearance?” seems reasonable. Self-care is a good thing, after all. However, that reasoning overlooks the hidden expense. Every minor imperfection becomes a disaster when our sense of value is based solely on appearance. We begin to strive for an unachievable ideal that brings momentary pleasure with lasting uncertainty.
Amelia Cucuzza, a political science major, believes “there’s definitely a line because I personally think that cosmetic procedures, like getting surgery to look better or to fit the beauty standard, are something we’re seeing a lot more of. I think that’s a line people cross when they’re anxious about how they look.”
We cross the line of balance the moment we sacrifice our health, happiness or peace of mind for perfection. We’ve paid too high a price at that point. Yet, no matter your discretion, it’s up to you to decide how much you’re willing to sacrifice for beauty. Regardless of what you take away from this, I urge you to find something more profound than beauty that is external. It is up to you to find beauty that is true and permanent, that doesn’t involve putting your health at risk.
This is the opinion of Wasay Abdali (‘28), an entrepreneurship major from Colorado Springs, CO. Send comments and feedback to editor@theloyolan.com. Follow @LALoyolan on Instagram, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
