Cosmetic surgery is a function of an increasingly vapid society, where the content of our wardrobes is becoming more important than the content of our hearts.

Is it any wonder many in the younger generation are image-obsessed and think reshaping their body will reshape their world?

But while vanity (or more likely, insecurity) is driving much of the cosmetic surgery industry, gastric bypass surgery continues to genuinely transform waistlines and lives.

This is not a “do these pants make me look fat” issue for most locals seeking weight loss surgery.

It’s an option of last resort.

There’s a reason people who are severely overweight are called “morbidly” obese. Many seeking lap band surgery weigh over 150kg and most have a catalogue of health problems.

They must endure an intensive screening process before being approved for surgery, including medicals and a psychologist’s examination.

A number of surgeons even insist patients lose up to 10kg first to prove their commitment. Dramatically reducing the size of your stomach - or in the case of gastric sleeve surgery, removing 85 per cent of your stomach – is not a decision that should be made lightly.

As such, we should not lump weight loss surgery in the same category as botox and boob jobs. These are desperate people making a desperate choice. It’s time they were viewed that way.