Why do people in Nigeria get body enhancements?

On January 2, 2018, Pulse reported that popular actress, Tonto Dikehexpressed happiness at getting her body done

The session was even filmed for her new reality TV show, King Tonto on Linda Ikeji TV. Enhancement procedures continue to broaden in scope and range in styles and formats.

Asides that popular botox injections, fat injections, and plastic surgeries, we have also seen gastric bypass and liposuction to reduce fats in concentrated parts of the body.

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Body enhancements improve confidence

The results have yielded results for people and have increased their confidence. Don’t get it twisted, men are also undergoing enhancements procedures to boost confidence.

Asides the more popular liposuction and gastric bypass to deal with weight issues, men like the actor, Mickey Rourke have undergone cosmetic procedures.

Men also take botox injections, engage in surgical or medicinal procedures to increase the size of their private parts or do hair transplants or other riskier fashion procedures.

However, it is general conception that women are more likely to undergo body enhancements, especially fashion fitted procedures than men.

Women have gone through breasts, buttock augmentation procedures to improve their curves while they also do face lift procedures, receive botox injections or get nose jobs or even change the diameter of their ears.

It is what it is. The entire essence of it is to help people change problematic areas of their bodies giving them problems.

If we overlook the ones who get body enhancements because of obsession with perfection or to look like their favourite celebrities or even Barbie or dog or Dragon, body enhancements can be advantageous.

The only issue is just finding the way to fund them as they are not even remotely cheap.

Enhancements can be necessary

Sometimes, as a direct offspring of medical conditions like cancer, the requires extreme surgical procedures to the breasts or scrotum or other body parts, surgery is needed to paper certain cracks.

Other times, as we’ve seen skin grafts that saved the leg of the footballer, Santi Cazorla after post-surgery infection, these procedures can be more necessary than we think.

Equally, in the case of extreme necessity like to burn victims, body enhancements and surgical procedures can be necessary.

The conversation shouldn’t only be about the negatives, but equally the positive aspects. Some of us don’t even want to admit that some breasts look seriously good post-surgery.

Surgery is perceived with incredible negativity amongst the conservatives of the world, which represents a significant number of existent people.

Is body enhancement for fashion rampant in Nigeria?

It has been on the increase as of late. The cosmetic industry in Nigeria started with Modupe Ozolua. In 2001, she launched her cosmetic surgery business and followed up with an aesthetic lasers business in 2007.

Ozolua's line of business made her popular as she graced the cover of many soft sell magazines.

Why do we shame people who get enhancement?

Conservativism and the idea that God made us the way we are and that we shouldn’t change who we are, ‘accept yourself the way you are.’

The truth is, you can accept yourself the way you are, but what if you hate yourself and it drains you of confidence? Are you criticising body enhancements because you can’t afford them?

The people who have body enhancements might also be contributing to the hate, by their constant denials of their enhancements.

If you’re enjoying it after you felt the need for it, why does anybody’s opinion matter? I understand the concept of protecting oneself from scrutiny.

Let’s leave everyone to live as long as it’s legal and not detrimental to others.