Since plastic surgery is now much more widely accepted, Jávo’s research shows that women can be easily tempted by the option and may be encouraged to undergo the surgery. Society’s focus on appearance is increasing, which in this context experts find worrisome. Associate Professor Gunn Pettersen at the University of Tromsø has conducted research on eating disorders for many years. She sees that young people can be preoccupied with their bodies, and often have unrealistic and often unhealthy body ideals. To illustrate this, she is now working on a study of people's relationship to perfectionism. “Society today has a strong focus on appearance and perfectionism. Sometimes it can be good to focus on those who always do their best, but perfectionism can go on to become morbid and destructive,” Pettersen says.
