Latter-day Saints have more cosmetic surgery — and some do so for religious reasons

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You may have seen the billboard on Interstate 15 offering cosmetic services with the slogan “God’s remodeling his temple. Isn’t it time to remodel yours?,” or heard the supposed “statistic” that Salt Lake City has more plastic surgeons per capita than Los Angeles, or that Utahns Googled “breast augmentation” at the highest rate in the nation. You may know the rationale put forth by some that such beauty enhancements are done primarily by those not involved in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After all, argue Latter-day Saint defenders, the church is “pro-body” and teaches that humans were created in the image of God. So what’s the reality? According to two Brigham Young University researchers, about 14% of Latter-day Saint respondents have had major cosmetic surgery — including breast augmentations, tummy tucks and liposuction — and 20% have undergone cosmetic enhancements such as laser hair removal, Botox injections or skin procedures. That’s not off the charts, but it

Latter-day Saints have more cosmetic surgery — and some do so for religious reasons Do Latter-day Saints turn to cosmetic surgery in a quest for perfection to please God? New body image study shows they undergo such procedures more often than most Americans, but BYU researchers say these members may be misunderstanding the church’s theology. (Illustration by Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) Comment Add as Preferred Source RELATED STORIES ‘Mormon Land’: Who should decide when, where and how often Latter-day Saints wear temple garments? LDS Church steps up this message: Wear your

Latter-day Saints have more cosmetic surgery — and some do so for religious reasons

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