America's obsession with beauty is posing severe problems for the health and economic welfare of women and young girls, consistent with a report on Monday on the pursuit of physical perfection and the increase in beauty cosmetic surgery.

The nonprofit YWCA in the United States said women and girls are utilizing increasing amounts of cash in their bid to appear like idealized, air-brushed magazine model girls. The report, Beauty at any Cost, noted U.S. women worn-out several $7 billion a year, or an average of on $100 each, on cosmetics and beauty products. That $100 a month, if saved and spends for five years, would pay for a full year of teaching and fees at a public college, the report estimated.

YWCA USA Chief Executive, Dr. Lorraine Cole said that "We think that the obsession with idealized beauty and body image is a enduring burden that takes a dreadful toll on all young girls and women in this country and she also said that What's really new here is the sheer level to which women and girls are now willing to go...to be 'beautiful,' consistent with standards perpetuated by a youth-obsessed media culture with literally thousands of messages, 24 hours a day".

Nearly 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were done in the United States in 2007 -- a 446% increase in 10 years, consistent with the American Society for Aesthetic Surgery. Botox injections and liposuction are the most well-liked nonsurgical and surgical procedures. The report cites added research linking smoking to attempts by women and girls to manage their weight. It notes that some ingredients in U.S. cosmetics, like hair sprays and nail polishes, hold phthalates that have been shown to root liver and reproductive system harm in animals.

The YWCA teamed up with the manufacturers of a new documentary on the matter, "America the Beautiful", in a proposal to alert the 2.5 million women and girls the YWCA serves in the United States.

Source: reuters.com