ABSTRACT
Living dolls can be provisionally defined as women who undergo multiple body modifications with the intention to liken themselves to Barbies. These idealized and idolized dolls inspire appearance adjustments and changes that range from the relatively harmless practice of wearing abnormally colored contact lenses to the extremes of major surgical intervention such as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and ribs removal. Among chief physical characteristics of living dolls are the following: slim bodies with unnaturally enlarged breasts, narrow waists and fuller hips, toned legs, perfectly smooth skin, immaculate complexion, long shiny hair, and enormous glassy eyes. Valeria Lukyanova is an embodiment of this trend, which has earned her wide recognition. Her metamorphoses are made public thanks to social networking and services allowing self-publishing and self-promotion, resulting in “morbid fascination” (Rhodan 2014) and a “virtual firestorm” (Sandberg 2013) among her audiences.
