The new ABC show, “Extreme Makeover,” has taken striving toward external finery to a whole new level.

For years, there have been televised makeovers which give men and women a new haircut, new clothes and makeup tips, but never literally a new face.

“Extreme Makeover” selects men and women who feel unattractive and gives them an array of surgical reconstruction. Each episode features two people, seen first in their “before” phase, then as they undergo various procedures. They are finally revealed in a climactic unveiling of “the after” when the candidates reveal their new selves to their families and friends.

Though the show claims to makeover both men and women, only three of the 17 makeover recipients were men.

The idea behind the show is to give people confidence and a new destiny, but to surgically reconstruct women into walking Barbie dolls does not reflect confidence to me. Confidence is not something a person should have to look to a knife to obtain and you choose your destiny. And it certainly can’t be found in a team of surgeons and makeup artists.

I am in no way opposed to dental reconstruction or even reconstructive surgery to burned, scarred or disfigured victims or single procedure patients, but none of these women have been involved in any accidents on the shows I have viewed .

The “Extreme Team,” will often perform more than three or four surgical procedures for each makeover. The “Extreme Team,” includes plastic surgeons, eye surgeons and cosmetic dentists, along with a team of hair and makeup artists, stylists and personal trainers, led by an on-camera “Extreme Makeover” expert.

While viewing several shows, I noticed not a single woman undergoing a makeover went without breast implants.

The show, nearing its second season, claims: “This season will feature more “news you can use” tips about fashion, hair and makeup for the home viewers. The only tips they seem to express are find a million-dollar plastic surgeon and have him magically mold you into a supermodel.

In the past, women have looked to magazines for fashion and beauty tips, with television, movies and celebrities also setting fashion trends and perhaps that will never change. Although plastic surgery has been around for some time now, it has never been so encouraged or common.

I don’t know what’s worse, that the show has actually performed these surgical makeovers giving patients “the works” or that America has bought into it and more than 10 thousands applicants have applied for the next season.

This plastic surgery fad has become so common it has reached the 18-20 crowd, girls are taking out loans for breast implants before loans for school.

A month or so ago, I ran into an old friend I grew up with and it seems she has recently had a growth spurt. She lives on her own, and although she has complained it would be too hard to get loans for college, she has somehow mustered up the courage to take loans to fund her breast implants.

My best friend also has considered the endeavor. She works at a certain orange-short-wearing establishment where she is the minority of not having implants.

Two shows on TLC, “What Not to Wear” and “A Makeover Story,” give makeovers to both men and women, though predominantly women, in a different manner. These shows make over applicants with makeup, haircuts and clothing alone. Though the theme of how a person should look is still common, the person’s physical makeup is not altered.

All three makeover shows exemplify the idea looks transcend happiness; the idea of the importance for women to look perfect to feel good. Some of these shows will mention diet and exercise, but the main focus for feeling good usually revolves around surgically altered appearances or high fashion designer label clothing.

We may be moving forward in the medical field with the procedures available, but we are moving backward in the mental state.