Cosmetic surgery has come to be seen as something completely natural and even desirable, especially among women. But it’s important to take a moment to note that, in all cases, it should be the exception, not the rule. With that in mind, anyone who wants to can go ahead and have it done.

Plastic surgery can do nothing for you except make you artificial. These days, we hear and see more and more about how we should be “natural” and “ourselves,” but of course this is just modern drivel from people, most of whom lack both the awareness and the courage to truly be themselves. But it’s curious how you’re expected to be natural on the inside when everything on the outside that another person sees has been altered by scalpels, lasers, and all sorts of substances.

Modern cosmetic procedures give us an easy fix for absolutely everything. You’re getting old—get Botox; your nose is too big—you make it smaller; your bosom isn’t big enough—you get implants; your lips are too thin—hyaluronic acid is your best friend; you have no hair—you get a hair transplant; you can’t lose weight—you get a gastrectomy. Try for a moment to step back from the normality that’s preached about these procedures, and notice just how eerie most of them sound.

Lately, public opinion has become increasingly distorted, and we even hear accusations directed at people who have some kind of physical imperfection and have not yet resorted to cosmetic surgery. They are even condemned as being neglectful of themselves. Apparently, accepting that they like themselves and have healthy self-esteem is beyond our capabilities as a society.

The idea that a plastic surgeon can create something more beautiful than nature is one of the most absurd notions humanity has ever believed in (and the competition there is truly fierce). The universe knows exactly what looks best on you, and we should be able to trust it that we are beautiful just as it created us.

The obsession with changing oneself to conform to someone else’s standards of “beauty” is one of the deepest signs of personal insecurity. No one is actually ashamed of their long nose or big ears—they are ashamed of some inner weakness they cannot overcome, and they want to compensate for it with a “perfect” appearance. And the sad reason for this is that others will judge them first and foremost by their appearance.

There is nothing more beautiful than what is natural. No artificial rose is more lovely than a real one. No sunset in a movie can surpass any real one. It’s not hard to realize that the same is true for people. Accept and like yourselves just as you are. The right people will like you for the same reasons.