Cosmetic surgery is the fastest growing medical speciality in both the USA and western Europe. The surgical fix belongs to the growing arsenal of practices and technologies which are aimed at transforming the female body for the sake of beauty. Despite its increasing popularity, cosmetic surgery is controversial. It raises the question of why women are willing to put themselves under the knife for operations which are painful, expensive, risky and often leave them in worse shape than they were before. It attempts to make sense of women's involvement in cosmetic surgery. Whereas traditional...

This work offers a critical appraisal of the recent body revival. It draws upon insights from recent contemporary feminist theories on gender and power to explore the subject of the body.