Sue Scheff: Plastic Surgery and Teens

When you hear about plastic surgery, do you think of teenagers? Plastic surgery is commonly heard about in Hollywood with many celebrities, however today we are hearing more and more about it with not only adults, now with teens.

There are definitely some cases of plastic surgery that can physically and emotionally help a teenager. NBC's Today Show contributor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman listed some valid reasons. Take a moment to watch the video. Whether it is a breast reduction for health reasons or extreme circumstances of bullying due to a physical disfigurement, Dr. Syderman explains that in some cases, teen plastic surgery is acceptable.

The most common procedures teens choose include nose reshaping, ear surgery, acne and acne scar treatment, and breast reduction.

KidsHealth.org has listed some reasons why teens consider plastic surgery:

1. Almost all teens (and many adults) are self-conscious about their bodies. Almost everyone wishes there were a thing or two that could be changed. A lot of this self-consciousness goes away with time. Ask yourself if you're considering plastic surgery because you want it for yourself or whether it's to please someone else.
2. A person's body continues to change through the teen years. Body parts that might appear too large or too small now can become more proportionate over time. Sometimes, for example, what seems like a big nose looks more the right size as the rest of the person's face catches up during growth.
3. Getting in good shape through appropriate weight control and exercise can do great things for a person's looks without surgery. It's never a good idea to choose plastic surgery as a first option for something like weight loss that can be corrected in a nonsurgical manner. Gastric bypass or liposuction may seem like quick and easy fixes compared with sticking to a diet. Both of these procedures, however, carry far greater risks than dieting, and doctors should reserve them for extreme cases when all other options have failed.

Some people's emotions have a really big effect on how they think they look. People who are depressed, extremely self-critical, or have a distorted view of what they really look like sometimes think that changing their looks will solve their problems. In these cases, it won't. Working out the emotional problem with the help of a trained therapist is a better bet. In fact, many doctors won't perform plastic surgery on teens who are depressed or have other mental health problems until these problems are treated first.

Source: KidsHealth for Teens

As with many aspects of parenting, communication is key. If your teen has asked about having plastic surgery, listen to them. Find out the reasons why. Is it medically necessary. Are they being bullied, teased or do they feel less confident, struggling with depression over a disfigurement or are they trying to look like the next Britney Spears?

In 2008 in Palm Beach County, Florida, 18 year-old, Stephanie Kuleba, a West Boca High School student, lost her life after undergoing a breast augmentation surgery. Kuleba was undergoing surgery to correct asymmetrical breasts and an inverted areola. Doctors believe this tragedy was due to a fatal reaction to anesthesia during the surgery. - GMA reported on this story in March 208

Be an educated parent, you will have healthier teens both emotionally and physically.
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Sue Scheff: Teen Girls and Body Image

With the recent untimely death of Brittany Murphy, many are mourning the loss of a young, sparklingly actress. There have been reports that Brittany Murphy was concerned about her body image.

When negative events happen, it can be an opportunity to open doors to an awareness of important topics that need to be discussed with our teens.

There are a vast amount of resources to help parents talk to their teens about body image, eating disorders and other issues many teens struggle with today. Peer pressure can be a driving force and it is critical parents keep their lines of communication open with their teens, especially if they are becoming withdrawn and secretive.

Dara Chadwick, author of You'd Be So Pretty If...., offers a wealth of information on girls suffering with body image issues as well as helping parents recognize although they are not perfect, they can help their daughters through their own faults.

Today Dara Chadwick added to her educational blog about Tips for the Holiday Food Truce:

•The only person you can control is you. If mom's pushing pie on you and you'd rather not partake, don't. It's that simple. On the flip side, mom, if you offer a treat and your daughter says, "No, thanks," try not to see it as a judgment of you, your cooking or your mothering. It's just pie.
•You don't have to voice every thought you have. If your daughter has, in fact, put on weight since the last time you saw her, trust me, she already knows. Telling her will just create bad feelings. On the flip side, daughter, if you've become a vegetarian since your last visit home, now is not the time to launch into a judgmental critique of your parents' meat-eating habits. Save it for another day.
•Watch the "helpful" suggestions that really aren't. Mom, if you're concerned about your daughter's weight, please don't say, "Wouldn't you rather have some nice salad?" when she reaches for the candied yams. If you don't want her to eat candied yams, just don't make them. No food should be off-limits to just one person at the table.
•Build the right kind of holiday memories. Alcohol, stress and fatigue can make many of us short-tempered and quick to speak. Remember that your words and actions are building memories -- do you really want your daughter to remember holiday dinners as events where she felt judged and not good enough? Trust her to make her own decisions about food and honor the person she is -- not just the outer package she comes in.

Learn more about Dara Chadwick at http://www.darachadwick.com/. She has written for many publications including Psychology Today, Family Circle, Washington Post and many more.

Follow Dara Chadwick on Twitter at @DaraChadwick

Learn more about eating disorders.

Most important, be an educated parent - you will have healthier teens!