Five Cosmetic Treatments We Hope Never Become Popular

By Danielle Briones

Published on February 28, 2008

As new plastic surgery, dermatology, and dentistry techniques emerge, many Americans are seeking to achieve their own versions of perfection. Here are some beauty treatments that take that objective too far.

5. PGD to Choose Your Child's Physical and Personality Traits

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, is mostly used to detect genetic diseases such as Down syndrome in embryos. It is also currently used for couples who want to choose the gender and/or eye color of their baby.

Scientists say that PGD could eventually be used to pick out other physical traits, including a child's height, weight, and hair color. Further, scientists predict that they will one day have the ability to determine what a child's personality traits will be. These personality characteristics could one day include intelligence, athleticism, and sexuality.

However, PGD is expensive, meaning that, at least in the foreseeable future, the treatment would only be available to the wealthy. Considering the host of political and social issues advancements in PGD could raise, we're hoping this advanced form of the technology doesn't become available to the masses.

4. Toddler Teeth Whitening

With Hollywood's A-list flashing smiles that are almost as blinding as the sun, men and women throughout the country are flocking to cosmetic dentists to have their chompers whitened.

Apparently, however, having her own teeth bleached wasn't enough for one Miss Britney Spears. In August of 2007, entertainment news outlets claimed that the former princess of pop asked an L.A.-area dentist to whiten her toddler son's teeth. The dentist reportedly refused to perform bleaching treatment due to the child's age; if he hadn't, we fear this pseudo-trend might have caught on.

3. Bicep or Calf Implants in Women

For those of us that aren't into the buffed up look in the ladies, bicep and calf implants in women are a no-no. For one, most men and women aren't into chicks that look like they spent all day at the gym lifting weights and shooting up 'roids.

Some women who have calf or bicep implants placed are into body building competitions. After having implants placed, it will appear as though their muscle mass has increased. However, because increases in muscle should be a result of weight training, calf and bicep implants are not even acceptable in these cases.

2. Hair Transplanted to the Pubic Area

It's almost hard to believe that men around the country were growing beards and mustaches during the 60s, 70s, and 80s, while women left their nether-regions ungroomed. Since then, the American trend has been to have as little facial and body hair as possible.

However, this is not the case in Italy and South Korea, where some women are having hair implanted into their pubic area. Apparently, burgeoning forestation is considered a sign of fertility.

Although bikini waxing is painful and laser hair removal treatments are costly, we certainly hope the fad does not catch on in the United States. I have a feeling most men would be inclined to agree.

1. Baby Liposuction

Babies are known for being chubby. Most of us don't even think about the fact that most babies have rolls around their ankles, wrists, and tummies, complemented by chipmunk cheeks and a dimpled derriere.

But in a society obsessed with ultra-thin physiques, is it possible that we will begin to accuse babies of binging on breast milk, revealing muffin tops, and sporting cankles? Perhaps some parents will decide that sucking a little fat out of their baby's "problem areas" will help their child attract more attention from the cool kids at the playground.

But for those of us who find babies adorable as they are, baby liposuction will always seem like a heinous treatment that clearly deserves to be at the top of this list.

Heard about any other weird beauty treatments - rumored or real? Post a comment below if you think you can beat our number one pick!

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