ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how the magazine advertising discourses both juxtapose and blend medical and commercial messages. Firstly, the various medical aspects that are presented in the adverts for cosmetic procedures and the adverts for (other) beauty products/services are explored. Here it is necessary to consider how and to what extent medical professionals are introduced in the adverts. Particularly interesting is the representation of cosmetic surgeons as artists and the wider association of cosmetic surgery with the arts. Related to the discussion of medical professionals, this chapter also looks at the various realisations of the wider theme of professionalism, experience, and expertise in the adverts. As the aim of the adverts for cosmetic procedures and beauty products/services is ultimately to sell, it is hardly surprising that various themes generally associated with marketing emerged in the data – e.g. a focus on the quick and easy nature of procedures and the finance options available.
