I thought that I knew a lot about cosmetic enhancement. I've written in its defence and, with my day job, have leading clients in the industry, and contacts at cosmetic enhancement magazines. But for some reason, I'd never heard of Cindy Jackson until speaking today with someone who is making a documentary on the history of plastic surgery. I'm glad I learned of her existence: She's the queen of cosmetic enhancement, blazing a controversial and fascinating trail to become more attractive--way more attractive--with age.

Jackson (pictured at right; there are better pictures on her website, but as a magazine cover, this one is fair use for journalistic purposes) has demonstrated that modern technology allows most people, with the right plan, to be beautiful. While some might argue that the beauty she has attained is the mainstream ideal of beauty, that's beside the point. What she's really shown is that modern technology has made the human body malleable enough that we can pretty much look however we like (within reason, of course--we can't yet have functional wings, for example).

While some might dismiss Jackson as equal to her last-namesake, Michael, that would also be missing the point. Ms Jackson is not a reclusive star who has achieved infamy for her plastic surgery experimentation. She is a smart, purposeful star who has planned her cosmetic improvement and rise to fame with careful detail. She says: "Applying the principles of beauty I learned as an art student, including centuries-old rules of facial and body proportion, along with some basic anthropological laws of human attraction, I drew up a plan." Her plan involved a wish list, and continuing improvements in technology have allowed her to tick off each item. So much so that Jackson, who started her project in 1988, now looks far younger than she did in the 1970s.

I know that many people don't (yet) share my enthusiasm for how technology can empower people to take control of their appearance. But in my mind, it levels the playing field. Beauty offers tremendous advantages, and simply telling people that it's only skin deep doesn't help. A world full of smart, compassionate people would be fantastic. A world full of smart, compassionate, pretty people would be even better.

Jackson has also shown how cosmetic enhancement technology is blurring the virtual and real worlds. As computer-generated humans begin to look more and more real, allowing virtually unlimited expressions of beauty, cosmetic enhancement technology is allowing physical humans to alter their appearance with similar degrees of flexibility. As that technology continues to improve, the possibilities will only increase, perhaps to the point where we can change our appearance as often as we change outfits.