Woman shares private before-and-after pictures to reassure people that plastic surgery is OK
“Get it done,” she urged. “Get work done.”
Woman shares her positive experience with plastic surgery.
There is an age-old debate over whether someone should get plastic surgery to overcome their insecurities or learn how to accept them by talking to a therapist.
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Chales T. Slack says that plastic surgery can’t solve all someone’s problems. “Perkier breasts won’t save your marriage,” Parker wrote on his blog. “A new nose won’t guarantee a promotion. And while cosmetic surgery can give you a boost of confidence and add to your self-esteem, it cannot fix big underlying psychological issues.”
Studies show that for some plastic surgery can be a big boost to their self-esteem, while for others, such as those with body dysmorphic disorder, it can lead them to feel even worse about themselves.
Over recent years, public opinion surrounding plastic surgery has changed. Previously, many thought cosmetic treatments were vain, superficial, or only for people with low self-esteem. But these days, more see it as self-care in a world where people feel judged for their appearance.
Since the pandemic, there has been a huge surge in people getting plastic surgery. Especially among those younger than 45. At least 30% of plastic surgeons say their business has at least doubled since 2020.
Shannon McNamara, the host of the Fluently Forward podcast, recently reshared a video of her getting a nose job to inspire others who are feeling insecure about their body to get work done.
@fluentlyforward Throwback post #nosejob #rhinoplasty #beforeandafter
“I’m short, I’m petite, and I just feel like my nose stuck out so much,” she said in the video. “I feel like anyone else who doesn’t like their nose, you will know the feeling. I don’t even have to describe it; it was all I thought about.”
McNamara believes the pain of being uncomfortable with her nose went way beyond the satisfaction she could ever feel by having a “natural” body.
“I thought about my nose every day,” she said. She then shared a memory of when she was in the 7th garage and went out of her way to sit in an odd position in class to ensure her crush couldn’t see her profile.
She also spoke out against those who said she shouldn’t get plastic surgery because she was “so beautiful that she didn’t need” it. McNamara believes cosmetic surgery can be necessary when extreme feelings of insecurity cause stress hormones to overtake your body. “It’s just sending cortisol through their system,” she argues.
“Get it done,” she urged. “Get work done.”
Five years after the surgery, McNamara is satisfied with her new look. "I don't give a rat's A about my nose,” McNamara said. “I just don't think about it, and that was what I wanted. And I think everyone who says that they got their nose done, the only thing they regret is not doing it sooner."
McNamara’s video is a strong case for those who want to remove the stigma surrounding plastic surgery. However, the research shows that the answer should differ for everyone, depending on the root causes of their insecurities. "The whole idea of aesthetic surgery being superficial, it's just not," Dr. Adam Kulker tells InStyle. "People tend to be very judgmental, but it's so much more important to focus on the individual and their self-perception."
- People rally behind Christina Applegate after troll accuses her of 'bad' plastic surgery ›
- TikTok's scarily precise, too-real beauty filter has people rightfully freaked ›
- Charlize Theron fires back at claims that she got 'bad plastic surgery' ›
- 15-year-old acid attack survivor uses her voice for change - Upworthy ›
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."