Real or Fake?

ELMontague · Aug 22, 2010

Taking from the success of Hooray for Pubic Hair, let's delve into another topic. Real or Fake? I'm speaking of breasts, lips, cheekbones, noses, you name it. Do we have a particular slant on tastes in the aesthetically enhanced?

Personally, I have a thing for real. I've always been one for the owning the genuine article, but I can also admit that more than once a well made pair of breasts, fresh from the wrapper, have turned my head. Once undressed, there are a lot of boob jobs that just don't look right, and few that look perfect. I guess that goes to the skill of the artist. But since we generally don't see a body off rebuild on our partners, perfect tits (or anything) on an imperfect body seem out of place.

That said, I'm not turning away any one who's actually offering. Only a fool does that. (The obvious, "I'm married and don't accept offers from anyone not my wife," granted.)

Thoughts?

AGAIN, focused on writing.

Synonym · Aug 22, 2010

Focus? LOL

Hmmm. I usually go for real. Real problems, limitations, insecurities etc. I've never found the look of store-bought boobage to be attractive. Sort of like two, unnaturally hard er, softballs? (add the usual disclaimer that of course, there are better enhancements out there, I've not seen them)

Maybe if I personally knew someone who'd had some work done I might add their experience to my story? If the new nose really did make them feel more attractive or change their personal view of themselves and so forth.

Maxinquaye · Aug 22, 2010

Breasts are... as I've said before I think... strangely redundent. If they're augmented, improved, ameliorated or amended really makes no difference.

As to the rest - I prefer natural. It's the little nooks and crannies that make beauty, isn't it? Otherwise we could all get photoshopped by surgeons. How fun would that be?

kuwisdelu · Aug 22, 2010

When it comes to looks alone, fake can be pretty good. Sometimes even better.

But when it comes to the down and dirty of up-close-and-personal, you can't beat real for most stuff.

jennontheisland · Aug 22, 2010

I don't really care either way, as long as she's happy with them.

But keep in mind there are reasons beyond appearance for falsies. One girl I dated had them done because her natural ones were medically classified as disfigured. Her parents were opposed to the surgery when she was a teen, so she had to wait until she was an adult to pay for them herself. According to her, they did wonders for her self-image.

Also, some women who carry a specific gene (something like that) related to breast cancer, and who have a family history of it, may be offered mastectomy and replacement breasts in an effort to circumvent a cancer that could spread.

A relatively flat chested friend of mine has some breast hangups because her mom had a wicked rack and she had nothing. It wasn't until we were in our twenties that someone let it slip that her mom's were fake. My friend had grown up thinking something was wrong with her because hers weren't like her mom's.

As a secondary sex characteristic, they may seem redundant, but they are a noticeable part of femininity, and many women take them quite seriously.

They sure are fun to play with though.

Maxinquaye · Aug 22, 2010

Well, yes, but it was asked what people think aesthetically about them. I know they're important to women. Of course they are.

When it comes to women, I'm interested in minds, sense of humour, intelligence, friendship. Not sex. Not primary sex characteristics. Not secondary, tertiary, quartenary sex characteristics.

Just the way it is with me. Aesthetically, I don't really pay that much attention to them.

Xelebes · Aug 22, 2010

Anything more than dyed hair is too much for me. I can't even stand perfume as too many times it is noxious. I am a fan of bird-chests.

veinglory · Aug 22, 2010

When it comes to fiction I have never come across a story that called for someone who had falsies. Outside of a few subcultures how common are they anyway?

Captcha · Aug 23, 2010

It's a tricky question, maybe, because in my stories, the characters tend to be effortlessly attractive. That is, it takes no effort, because I just write them that way. They're not all gorgeous, but they're all good examples of their types (cute nerd, scruffy artist, whatever). Essentially, I am their plastic surgeon, making them exactly the way I think they should be. So it's a lot easier, in fiction-ville.

In reality, I think people's bodies are their own, and they should be free to do what they want to with their bodies without judgment from others. If women (or, increasingly, men) feel inspired to undergo multiple surgeries in order to conform to a certain ideal, I'd be more concerned about their self-confidence and state of mind than the 'realness' of their parts. But if they're happy and satisfied, then I'd hope they'd have the self-confidence to not care what anyone else thinks about their decisions.

sunandshadow · Aug 23, 2010

Since I have no particular interest in women or boobs, I don't have an opinion on boob jobs. I agree that 'bad fakes' are often worse than nothing. But if, for example, a bald man could get hair grafts which would give him natural-looking shoulder-length hair, I'd be all in favor of that sort of fake. Certainly braces, contacts, laser hair removal, and neon hair dye are bits of fakeness that can all be a pleasant addition to someone's appearance.

backslashbaby · Aug 23, 2010

My sister got a nose job that did wonders for her self-esteem. She had broken it as a kid.

I don't like boobs that look too round. That's just odd. Otherwise, if a woman gets a boob job it's her own business, imho. If she's the sort who always wants everyone in the room to stare at her boobs, yes, I find that obnoxious. But that's behavior seperate of the boob job itself.

nkkingston · Aug 23, 2010

Though fakes (fake anything, really, even dyed hair) don't do much for me, they wouldn't stop me for falling for someone.

ETA: No, wait, I have green hair. I guess I emant 'dyed to cover natural aging', since I have to admit interesting hair, in various colours and shapes, completely does it for me.

Bookewyrme · Aug 23, 2010

I certainly prefer real to fake, all around. But there are some mighty attractive women with fake boobs/cheeks/lips/etc wandering around. They're not my type usually, but they're still attractive. I dunno if I would ever include such in a story explicitly, but you never know. I can't currently think of one where it would really matter one or the other, though I'm sure such stories exist.

Captcha · Aug 23, 2010

I think an author would have to be careful to not use surgical augmentation as a cheap characterization tool. It could signify that the person with the surgery is vain or insecure or superficial, but, as several posts have already shown, it could mean a lot of other things, too!

JS Emuakpor · Aug 30, 2010

New ones would do wonders for my self-image. Most people find that odd because I don't necessarily look (to them) like I would have an image problem. But the fact is that after 4 kids, I don't feel at all attractive without a bra on. I even sleep with a bra on. Anyhoo, I think I've digressed. In a story, unless the fake boobs add to the plot, I'm not sure what the point would be for maing it explicitly clear that a character has them. Maybe I'll write a short with fake ones and see how that feels. Hmmmm...

JoNightshade · Aug 30, 2010

I find small breasts way more attractive than big ones. Unfortunately I am "blessed" with the latter. I cannot fathom anyone getting enlargements for any reason other than reconstructive. I'd actually consider getting mine reduced if it didn't involve someone cutting on me.

BudBoxer · Aug 30, 2010

As a writer, I prefer free-range and organic bodies. Though I’ve had two friends who’ve had elective breast reductions. Both were thrilled with the results and claimed health benefits, reduced back pain, wardrobe options, swimming comfort, blah. There was a British novel a while back – Devil in the title? – about a woman who used cosmetic surgery to remake herself in her husband’s mistress’ image. Most diabolical outcome.

But Real or Fake takes a backseat to "clean." Just ask The Fruitcake Lady, around 2:25:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vch8l_JmIfU

rhymegirl · Aug 30, 2010

Here's what I think.

I'm happy with my breasts just the way they are. I would never get a boob job unless...well, just for one reason.

If a doctor ever told me I had breast cancer and needed to have both of them (or one of them) removed, I would have reconstructive surgery in order to feel normal. I know it wouldn't be quite the same as natural breasts, but at least I'd feel better about myself.

In terms of writing, I think it might be interesting to deal with the topic of a woman coming to terms with her sexuality after having the reconstructive surgery.

rugcat · Aug 30, 2010

JoNightshade said:
I find small breasts way more attractive than big ones.

Me too. And I don't like the way fake breasts look -- for me, it's actually a turn off. And the two that I've touched (on different women) felt odd to me. Didn't care for them.

JS Emuakpor · Aug 30, 2010

It's not the size of my breasts that bothers me. I'd happily take a lift with no implants. I have C-cup boobs with A-cup filling! Sounds funny, but makes me want to cry when I look in the mirror.

sunandshadow · Aug 30, 2010

No one's mentioned the niche of bod mod erotica yet? I read a really hot story once about a woman getting a tattoo. Stories about breast growth, fattening, transforming a man into a woman, adding a penis to a woman, transforming a human into an anthro or humanoid fantasy creature, all seem to be popular topics. Or maybe I just hang out with a weird crowd, lol.

Ruth2 · Aug 31, 2010

Meh. I had a nose job 'way back when. Believe me, I had a nose that wouldn't quit, okay? But.. when my new nose settled into its final shape, it was crooked. Asymmetrical.

The surgeon offered to redo it but there was no guarantee that it would be better. So .. I have a crooked nose.

Those round globular boob jobs? Strange. You see a woman on her back and you know they should flatten out but no, she's got the San Onofre Nuclear Plant site on on her chest. I don't know what they feel like it but they must feel odd during sex, not having the kind of "give" natural breasts would have.

Said The Sun · Aug 31, 2010

My sister got a nose job. She's very pleased and it did wonders on her confidence. Me? I kinda miss her witch nose. But I'll never tell her.

I wouldn't mind larger boobs, but the breadth of my IQ and credit score interest me more.

JS Emuakpor · Aug 31, 2010

Big round ones are overkill. Some surgeons do beautiful work, and it looks real. I've only ever touched one pair, and she had really nice ones. But they were silicone (way back when), not saline, so they felt fairly real.

Chris P · Aug 31, 2010

In reading, I only see it if it's part of the story: e.g. a plus size porn star who had lipo.

In real life, a woman who is "as she's made" and confident with herself is WAY sexier than a woman who thinks she needs the alterations to feel sexy. It's all in the attitude.

EDIT: I did have one GF who had a boob job. They only looked good with her clothes on. She was more confident because of it, but I'm not a boob man and she was disappointed that they left me meh (she had the surgery long before we met, btw).

Real or Fake?

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