Teenagers and Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery used to be reserved for the ultra-wealthy and people in critical need of surgery because of a severe injury. This is no longer the case as more and more everyday people, including teenagers, are getting plastic surgery and not feeling as though they need to hide it. This trend, as is the case with many others, seems to be emerging from Hollywood and the mainstream media. Actresses of old used to age naturally and one could at least estimate their age within 10 years or so. This is no longer the case as both men and women in the TV and film industry utilize human growth hormones, plastic surgery, and a variety of other treatments to beat the aging process. Many people feel that this trend has begun to have a significant impact on teenager perceptions of plastic surgery, and ultimately their likelihood of pursuing cosmetic procedures themselves.

It has been reported that while teenagers only make up 2% of plastic surgery patients in the US, the number of total teenagers having surgery performed has increased significantly over the last decade. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that the number of procedures performed on teenagers 13 to 19 was up to 244,124 in 2006, almost double what it was in 2002. This is a rapid increase, and should be carefully considered.

While at initial glance this statistic may seem alarming, there are many other coinciding factors that could help explain the increase in teenage cosmetic surgery. The increasing availability of plastic surgeons, and the increasing flexibility in payment options could play a large role in this increase. As more surgeons become available to communities, and offer easier ways to pay for surgery, the ability for the average person to have a cosmetic procedure has dramatically increased. Another factor to consider is the increasing acceptability of having surgery to "correct" a personal feature one may be self-conscious about. The TV and film industry has helped pave the way for increased acceptance as it is almost expected that TV and film actors will have some work done during their career to keep pace with the rest of the industry.

With a seemingly irreversible trend toward trying to achieve physical perfection taking place in our society, there may be cases where plastic surgery is both appropriate and even beneficial for teenagers. Some procedures that are sometimes recommended include; rhinoplasty (nose job), otoplasty (ear surgery), breast reduction, gynecomastia, and microdermabrasion. The important thing that needs to be considered is the short-term risks and benefits versus the long-term risks and benefits. This can be a slippery slope because the amount of discomfort or emotional pain each teenager suffers is subjective to them, and must be weighed against the normal emotions all teenagers experience during adolescent development.

With the increasing expectation of beauty and perfection in our society, the pressures teenagers face to meet these expectations has also increased. As a result plastic surgery among teenagers is increasing, and as a society it is becoming more important for us to understand how to respond to this trend. It is crucial that parents to do ample research to understand these risks and benefits, and not let themselves be solely influenced by trends in the media or their local community. As with any medical issues, each person should do their own research and consult a physician before making any decisions regarding their health or lifestyle.