A real-life Barbie: Is it real or fake?

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Valeria Lukyanova claims she is the real Barbie and has 8,000 subscribers in her Facebook page.

With a teeny waist, disproportionately large breasts and wide, icy-blue eyes, 21-year-old Valeria Lukyanova says she is the real natural deal, a real-life Barbie, the ABC news reported.

That’s what she claims anyway. Many are crying foul to her claims of her au natural Mattel-branded looks. Whether she underwent plastic surgery or uses photoshop to carve out that waist remains unclear. On her blog, the model notes that she is the most famous woman on the Russian Internet because of her doll-like appeal. Hundreds of photos on her Facebook page show a wide-eyed, nearly fake-looking Lukyanova posing in a variety of scanty outfits. But with nearly 8,000 subscribers to her Facebook page, it’s unclear whether Lukyanova exists at all, or whether it’s all a hoax thanks to the world of photo editing.

If she is real and does not use photoshop on her photos, she likely underwent a barrage plastic surgery. Dr. Malcolm Roth, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said plastic surgery should never be used to transform oneself into a favorite celebrity or, in this case, a play toy. “We believe evaluating any and all issues that may affect our patients’ well-being, including psychological factors, is part of providing total patient care,” Roth said in a statement. “Additionally, Valeria is also only 21, so certain milestones in growth and physical maturity ought to be considered before plastic surgery is performed. ASPS cautions patients to keep in mind that plastic surgery is real surgery with real risks, just as with any operation, so the decision should not be taken lightly.”

Whether Lukyanova is real or fake, photoshopped or plastic surgery, Diane Levin, professor of education at Wheelock College in Boston, said the mystery of her existence is not the issue. The problem is that her flaunted image epitomizes and exemplifies the issue of objectification of women in today’s society.