We live in a world where plastic surgery is glamorised. Nose jobs and breast implants are no longer anything to be ashamed of and the cast of The Only Way is Essex have normalised the phenomenon potentially affecting women's confidence all over the country. Going out and getting a boob job has become the norm across reality television shows, as the famously annoying Essex girls have "graced" our screens with more than just fake eye eyelashes.
Growing up, plastic surgery programmes began to launch on my television screens, as celebrities went under the knife. Channel 4 was also soon to jump on the bandwagon, as 10 Years Younger gave women with little confidence a dramatic makeover.
As I watched the television, I never thought I'd be offered plastic surgery right on my doorstep at a discounted price at 20-years-old from my university. But recently, the University of Central Lancashire revealed they would be offering Botox and Lip fillers at a discounted price for students across campus.
Students are now able to book appointments for Botox and fillers, lip enhancers, facial peels and laser treatments, all conducted by healthcare professionals who are studying for an MSc at the university.
A spokesperson from the university said: "Over recent years, the provision of non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments has emerged as a key growth area within healthcare delivery in the United Kingdom.
"UCLan's MSc/PgDip Facial Aesthetics programme is designed to ensure that practising clinicians, be they doctors or dentists, are recognised to be the leading evidence-based practitioners in their field."
The saddest thing about the situation is the revelation from the Dental Clinic, where the procedures will take place, who claimed that a number of students have registered their interest.
Heather Lomax, a UCLan student and member of the UCLan Feminist society said: "I couldn't believe it when I heard that UCLan would be offering Botox to students.
"UCLan is a university, and should be offering education and supporting the health and needs of students, not offering Botox, which certainly has its risks. The very idea of it, of students feeling the need to beat the (perfectly natural) aging process, to have perfect skin, makes me feel sick", they later added.
Ed Farthing, a third year English studies student also expressed his disgust with the recent proposals: "Botox and similar treatments epitomize the ever-growing modern day fanaticism with the 'perfect self' image, and often enough force users into a never-ending life of constant addictive usage".
Women's magazines are notorious for flaunting the most beautiful and skinny celebrities with flawless skin without a shadow of worry about the consequences: it is near impossible to search for a magazine without stereotype injected into its front page.
It's not the women's magazines that are the sad part of this situation however, it's the fact the University of Central Lancashire are now too endorsing the stereotype of a woman being fixated on beauty whilst carelessly attracting men and women with serious confidence issues.
Is UCLan putting on the pressure to keep up appearances? Although not directly forcing me to lie on the dreaded dentist chair, open wide and have Botulinum toxins injected into my not so wrinkly forehead, I still think it is sending out the wrongly glamorised stereotype to the population of the university.
Whether this is a desperate plea to attract students to the 9k charging university or is simply acting as a training school for plastic surgeons, I certainly won't be used as a guinea pig in this highly degrading and materialistic experiment.
For those students interested in undergoing treatment, you can book a consultation by calling 01772 896300 or email reception@uclandentalclinic.com