With the increasing visibility of cosmetic and plastic surgery in the media, such as "Dr.90210" starring Dr. Robert M. Rey (http://www.drrobertrey.com), and short-lived "The Swan" TV series, there is no wonder that young people are requesting these procedures for themselves more than ever. The media however is not the only place where the results of breast augmentation, liposuction, and rhinoplasty are being compared and glorified. Parents, teachers, and employers now discuss operations they and others have undergone with the lighthearted candor previously reserved for discussing a haircut.
Is a teen's appearance a more important factor in being accepted socially now than a decade or two ago? Do peer pressure, and the desire to "fit in" drive a teen to seek extreme solutions to gain favor? Looking at the styles of dolls today is an eye-opener. Consider the Bratz line of dolls in which you are immediately confronted with the sensuality and sexuality of their eye makeup, full lips, suggestive outfits and curvy figures. The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, and Disney's pop larvae, The Cheetah Girls, draw young girls into a force field that equates physical beauty with popularity, happiness, and success. It is no wonder that a teenage girl feels intense pressure from friends and classmates to enhance her appearance. Cosmetic surgery promises a quick fix that parents, teachers, and employers eagerly, if not secretively subscribe to themselves and teens are also irresistibly attracted.
When it comes to teens, the need for cosmetic surgery, liposuction and breast augmentation in particular, should be viewed with particular caution. For some surgeries, such as those to correct overly protruding ears, or a severe overbite, the desire for the child to fit in and not attract attention more often justifies the surgery. More caution needs to be employed when discussing breast enlargement or liposuction. Cosmetic surgeons make a particularly strong argument against breast enlargement if the young woman is still experiencing rapid growth. One's body changes rapidly as a child matures and by waiting, any disproportion or perceived physical deficiency may only require a bit more time to fill out.
Cosmetic surgeons agree that breast implants in the teenage female may be indicated when one breast is significantly underdeveloped or completely undeveloped. Counseling is often recommended as an adjunct to aid in the transition and emotional changes that may accompany breast augmentation. No surgery should go forth if there is a strong expectation or desire expressed by the teen about attracting the affections or approval of others. This is a completely wrong motivation for any cosmetic surgery. As part of the interview process required by plastic surgeons preparing a teenage patient, the teen needs to know the right and wrong reasons for wanting cosmetic surgery, and needs to be intellectually honest with herself.
Many teens undergo successful cosmetic procedures to correct an esthetic anomaly, from a deviated nasal septum that causes breathing problems, to an ear pinning to remedy a distracting degree of ear protrusion, to a breast implant to achieve breast symmetry. Success in these surgeries is defined as a satisfactory cosmetic result and a positive emotional adjustment for the teenage patient. Pre- and post-operative counseling is responsible for much of the emotional success of teenage cosmetic surgery. One more thing we need to ask ourselves: what are we saying about our values when we give breast augmentation surgery to our teen as a high school graduation present instead of more traditional gifts?
