Body Modification And It's Effect On Self Esteem

It's sad, but true : many women have very low self esteem, especially when it comes to their bodies. We are bombarded by images of celebrities with perfect bodies and we believe that we must reach that unattainable benchmark. We never stop to think that those images are photo-shopped and that these women have surgery and expensive treatments to make them look that way. Women are constantly looking for ways to boost their self esteem and as a result I don't think any woman can honestly say they have never indulged in one form of body modification or another. Whether we choose make up; hair color; tattoos; cosmetic surgery or a body piercing at the end of the day we are all customizing our bodies to try and build up our self esteem. But does it actually work?

Confucius is quoted to have said, 'True quality of life comes from a lasting harmony between the body and the mind.' This can be interpreted as saying when you look good – you feel better. This is true. How many of us can wake up feeling rotten then slicked on a bit of foundation and lipstick to give us a little boost? How many of get a spring in our step when we wear that one killer outfit? In fact, a recent study found that make up and hair dye does have a direct positive effect on self esteem. It's not about vanity. Its about confidence.

So, does that mean that those who indulge in body modification such as piercings and tattoos are also just boosting their own self esteem? I think to a certain extent we can say that this is actually very true. After all, many of the reasons citied for such practices are for the aesthetic appeal or to fit in with a certain culture. Isn't that the same as boosting your confidence? A study conducted by Carroll & Anderson revealed that people who have moderate to heavy tattoos are noticeably more self confident. In addition to this, tattoo artists say that the majority of customers are getting a tattoo as a symbol that they have moved on from some negative aspect of their life.

So does body modification improve your self esteem? I think so!