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 are having more plastic surgery

Source: Tangerine Times

Teens are having more plastic surgery.

I’m not talking about reconstructive surgery, I’m talking about plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons: Breast enhancement. Botox. You know — procedures that are supposed to “improve” one’s looks and, many people assume, bolster one’s self esteem.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of plastic surgery procedures (among teens 18 and younger) has increased from 59,890 in 1997 to more than 205,119 in 2007. That number includes surgical procedures such as breast reduction and nonsurgical procedures such as laser hair removal, micro-dermabrasion and chemical peels. Nearly 8,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed on females 18 and younger in 2007. The most frequently performed surgical procedure among teens was otoplasty (having ears pinned or reshaped).

In “Real Girls, Real Pressure: A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem”, a survey of more than 1,000 girls in the United States showed that 70 percent of girls ages 8 to 17 believed that they “are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members.” Distressing, yes? If you combine this information with the information about plastic surgery increasing…well, you see where I’m going.

Forget the word cosmetic and remember the word surgery.

Teens bodies are still changing. Their facial skeletal structure is still changing. Is it possible that what bothers them today will change and NOT bother them when they reach adult-hood? I would just raise this issue and ask if we are projecting our definition of adult beauty onto younger and younger girls (and boys). Here are some other articles on this subject you might be interested in:

U.S. News and World Report
Breast Implant Information
New York Times
Science Daily