In Americans' ever-increasing quest to be beautiful, there seems to be no limit to the lengths people will take to look "perfect." Cosmetic plastic surgery procedures increased 7 percent from 2005, to reach almost 11 million procedures in 2006. Among the most popular treatments in this category were breast augmentation, nose reshaping, liposuction, eyelid surgery and tummy tucks.

As we feel more confident about what is both inside and outside, we relax more about our appearance - yet we still take care of ourselves

An even faster growing segment of the industry, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, increased 8 percent since 2005. The most popular procedures in this grouping include Botox, chemical peels, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and hyaluronic acid injections.

Of course, this kind of "beauty" does not come cheap. American's spent $11.5 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2006, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Why people will go to great lengths, enduring painful surgeries and coughing up large sums of money to change their appearance has to do with a desire to be more attractive, or even just to look "normal."

When Wanting to be Pretty Turns Into an Obsession

Sometimes even plastic surgery is not enough to make a person feel beautiful. It is estimated that from 7 to 12 percent of plastic surgery patients have some form of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which is characterized by a preoccupation with a certain aspect of their appearance.

People with BDD are so obsessed with a particular body part, such as large hips or a double chin, that it interferes with their daily life. Not surprisingly, people with BDD who have plastic surgery typically do not feel better about their appearance and often undergo multiple procedures for the same issue.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to be attractive, the risk lies in intertwining one's own self-worth with their outward appearance. If someone feels that they must look perfect on the outside to be happy, successful or worthy of other's attention, then they are setting themself up for disappointment.

Hale Dwoskin, CEO and director of training of Sedona Training Associates says, "There is no real danger in getting caught up in appearance. However, when we live life on the surface we are seldom satisfied and we are always feeling incomplete and vulnerable."

This is partly because, inevitably, a person's appearance will change with time, and they must learn to love their innerself and appearance, at every stage of life.

"When we are over concerned with our appearance it is due to a basic insecurity about ourselves and our own self-worth," Dwoskin points out.

How to Get Over Not Feeling Pretty Enough

Both women and men can easily become caught up in the appearance trap, feeling down, angry or irritable if they gain five pounds, notice a new wrinkle or lose a few hairs from their head.

Holding on to this type of negative body image will do nothing but make a person miserable, and not surprisingly has been linked to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

To finally feel at peace with your appearance, it is necessary to let go of the negative feelings - the put-downs to yourself, the name-calling ("I'm so fat"), the criticism, and the blame - and replace them with feelings of complete acceptance and love for yourself.

The Sedona Method - studied and verified effective by Harvard Medical School - can help a person learn how to tap their natural ability to release self-sabotaging beliefs about their appearance, and let go of unwanted feelings on the spot.

"As we feel more confident about what is both inside and outside, we relax more about our appearance - yet we still take care of ourselves," Dwoskin says.

With The Sedona Method one will likely feel immediate relief, and over time will find that once-difficult situations (like putting on a bathing suit or having a picture taken) are completely comfortable and even enjoyable.

So rather than struggling through each day feeling "not pretty enough," The Sedona Method will allows individuals to live each day feeling confident, self-assured and beautiful.

Right now everyone can get the free Insiders Guide to The Sedona Method email course sampler by inputting just their name and email in the sidebar on the right at http://www.sedona.com/html/lp-pretty

For more insights on the topic of loving yourself and feeling good about your appearance, Hale Dwoskin, New York Times Best-Selling author of The Sedona Method, featured expert in the film and New York Times bestseller "The Secret," and CEO and Director of Training of Sedona Training Associates, is available for interviews. Sedona Training Associates is an organization that teaches courses based on the emotional releasing techniques originated by Hale Dwoskin's mentor, Lester Levenson. Dwoskin is an international speaker and featured faculty member at Esalen and the Omega Institute. For over a quarter century, he has regularly been teaching The Sedona Method techniques to individuals and corporations throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Visit www.Sedona.com