Teens and Cosmetic Surgery

Teens and Cosmetic Surgery
Monica Davis

Over three hundred and thirty-three thousand people had cosmetic surgery in 2005, and all of those patients were under the age of 18. The number of young women under 18 that have implants have tripled within the last five years. When you think of cosmetic surgery you usually don't think about teenagers. Most of the time you would think about older people and celebrities trying to stall the effects of aging, but now more and more teenagers have been getting cosmetic surgery in recent years. It is a growing trend around the US, and oddly but commonly given as birthday or graduation gifts. There used to be a time when people were not up front about having cosmetic work done, but now people are more open about having cosmetic surgery. Thanks to television shows that admire cosmetic procedures, the industry has skyrocketed and even more so now with teenagers.

Teenagers under the age of eighteen must have parental consent to have the surgery; however parents should not give in to their child's demands to change his or her appearance. There are so many risks involved in cosmetic surgery that teenagers should not jeopardize themselves to face, just because they think their nose is too big or too pointy. Some people may ask what if the teen has a physical birth defect, or due to an accident some part of their body is deformed or missing? There is a difference in the type of surgery to fix this type of problem called reconstructive surgery, which is ok. Cosmetic surgery is only to alter a part of the body a person is not happy with no apparent physical defect.

Those in favor of cosmetic surgery in teenagers say that parents should listen to their children when they talk about being unhappy about their appearances. Some parents think that a nose reshaping or breast enhancement will make a teen feel better about herself. Technology is much more advanced than it was years ago, and many parents say why not, it’s safer. If it will give their child confidence then it is worth the risks. “The fact is social development during the teen years is of the highest importance and even though having low self-esteem can have many underlying factors, sometimes these issues are purely aesthetic,” says the Cosmetic Plastic Surgery & Beauty Network. Teens are more informed, knowledgeable, and understand the risks that come with it. Parents that have given in to allowing their child to have cosmetic surgery believe their child is responsible enough to make his or her own decisions. As long as it isn’t hurting anyone then why should other people care? Sadly enough appearance matters a lot in society. When people go to work they are expected to look a certain way. Bosses expect employees to look neat, to have combed hair, and so on. Combing your hair and cosmetic surgery are not the same thing, but if a teen is very unhappy with her appearance then she should be able to change it to feel comfortable in the real world. Social acceptance is an important role in the teen years and it is hard to overlook the big imperfections of your body. Some follow the saying “no pain, no gain,” which means they believe beauty is painful have no opposition in it no matter what age.

Some parts of a teenager’s body haven't grown or aren't proportionate with the rest of the body. This may change as the person gets older. Teenagers are still developing, so it is normal for most teenagers to have discomfort with their body. Growth charts show average girl between eighteen and twenty-one gain weight and their desire for cosmetic surgery may decrease. Parts of our body, such as our nose, may seem too large now, but it may just need time for the rest of our body to grow proportionally. Throughout teen years, a person’s body continues to grow. Getting cosmetic surgery at a young age leaves no time to find out if your body would have eventually been proportionate. The surgery may not have been necessary. It is not a good idea to choose cosmetic surgery as a first option when you feel uncomfortable with your appearance.

Going under the knife should be avoided, especially at a young age if Teenagers are still developing and no one really knows the long term affects this type of surgery will have on them. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate risks of these procedures in the future. Some of the most common types of cosmetic surgery are implants, nose reshaping, and liposuction. Economic costs of implants are considerably high since health insurance companies hardly pay for cosmetic surgery. Implants usually last only about ten years. So the teen would need to have several surgeries throughout her lifetime. It is very important to understand the risks involved with cosmetic surgery. Studies show that most women have at least one serious problem within the first three years with their implants. Sometimes women have their implants removed due to pain. Another reason they get their implants removed is because they are not compatible with their body. This leaves her parents paying for something she no longer has, thus becoming a financial burden. What if you are not satisfied with the outcome of the surgery? You’ve just spent a lot of money on something you are not happy with. Surgeons cannot guarantee you 100 percent satisfaction on a cosmetic surgery. If the surgery is displeasing then you would need more surgery to fix the problem, if you have enough money to do so.

There is a long process to go through before a teen can have the procedure done. Most surgeons have a screening process where they take the time to interview teens and their patients to make sure they are physically and emotionally mature enough to handle the surgery. They want to know that the teen is doing it for the right reason. Teens often times get cosmetic surgery to fit in and be accepted by other people, but this is not the reason to get cosmetic surgery. Teens’ expectations from the surgery sometimes are unrealistic such as to please a boyfriend or to make their clothes fit better. These are not reasons for such a drastic procedure. Teenagers just look at the positive aspects and of cosmetic surgery and fail to weigh the risks and benefits soundly. Sometimes a teen’s obsession with her appearance may be due to a psychological problem called BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) and in these cases they should seek mental health instead of resorting to cosmetic surgery. Even with the procedure they may still be unhappy. All teenagers are concerned about their appearance and most are going to be unhappy about some part of their body. Cosmetic surgery is not a quick fix to the problem. Also, the recovery process of cosmetic surgery is not quick and easy. Often, people forget about the time it takes to heal after surgery which can be long and painful. Depending on the type of procedure you had it could take weeks to heal.

Serious risks of cosmetic surgery, especially with liposuction, or any surgery carry the chance of infection, damage to skin, nerves or vital organs, blood clots that could move to other parts of the body leading to death, or excessive fluid loss which can also lead to death. Let’s remember that cosmetic surgery is a complete voluntary, yet unnecessary procedure that could potentially put a life at risk. However skilled a surgeon might be, there are always the chances of something going wrong during surgery.

An eighteen year old college freshman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania named Amy Fledderman died after having liposuction on her chin, abdominal area and flanks. A blood vessel in her neck was severed and the medication she was given caused an allergic reaction. She lie on the table for two hours, and an ambulance was not called until she was nearly dead. Two days later, while she was in the hospital, she died. Another eighteen year old, this time a high school senior in Florida, died from complications in her cosmetic surgery. After about two hours into her surgery, Stephanie Kuleba was rushed to Delray Medical Center where she later died within twenty-four hours. Her surgery was breast augmentation. The believed cause of death was malignant hyperthermia, which can be triggered by anesthesia. Donda West, the mother of Kanye West, died after having a breast reduction and a tummy tuck. She suffered from uncontrollable bleeding after the surgery. As sad and tragic as all of these stories may be, it can happen to anyone. No one is excluded from the unnecessary risks involved in cosmetic surgery.

Are teenagers really mature enough to put their lives in their own hands by choosing to have cosmetic surgery? These procedures are purely by choice, and teenagers should not have the option of having these procedures. With any surgery there are several risks, so why would a parent selectively put her child up to those risks? There is no guarantee that things will turn out the way you want them to. Teens should not have cosmetic surgery because most of the time they are in the here and now moment instead of thinking about the long run. Problems of confidence and self-esteem can be solved in ways other than resorting to going under the knife. If death can be the outcome of something you chose to do, why do teens need to be put in that position? Who’s to say that you won’t end up liking your nose? You may become proportioned with more time to develop, but with cosmetic surgery you risk the chance of looking worse if it doesn’t go well. Who wants to end up dead on the cutting table because of the necessity to have the perfect face? Everyone has imperfections. As a teenager myself, I know I have flaws, but I would not take those risks to fix them. Cosmetic surgery on teenagers is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, nor should it be approved by parents to allow their child to have it.