Plastic Surgery in Teens

Why should I wait until 18 for Plastic Surgery?

We live in a world that emphasizes physical attractiveness as a way to gain competitive edge. Over the past years, plastic surgery has become increasingly popular across all age groups and it is becoming extremely popular among teenagers.

Now a days, teens dream about becoming thin and beautiful easily and quickly. More and more teen girls want to get breast implants for the 16th birthday. It is a disconcerting trend because their bodies are still developing and their decision making is doubtful. Plastic surgery may bring outstanding results but it also carries a lot of risks. As a result, proper patient selection becomes even more important.

Matters Concerning Maturity

When teenagers begin to mature, their bodies go through many changes. Some teens deal with these changes easily, while others struggle with the lack of self-respect. Feelings of insecurity and insufficiency are even more ignited when youngsters compare themselves with the glamorized images in the media trying to define how they should look like. That is why individuals younger than 18 years form an increasing part of plastic surgery patients. They are the most susceptible to influence.

The most popular surgeries among teen girls are breast augmentation, liposuction and rhinoplasty. However, the average girl weight stabilizes between the ages of 18 and 21 and a girl is likely to change her decision. Moreover, the frontal lobe of the brain does not fully mature until the age of 20. The frontal lobe controls understanding consequences of decision making and impulsiveness. It means that a wish to look like a specific artificially “upgraded” celebrity is not a good reason to pursue plastic surgery until maturity.

This is a time of self-discovery, not self-alteration. That is why certain milestones in growth and physical maturity must be achieved before undergoing plastic surgery.

Analyzing the Risks Involved

Most young patients have complications within the first years after plastic breast surgery. Infection, hematomas and seromas, pain, loss of nipple sensation and hypertrophic scarring are often the most frequent complications.[1]

Moreover, breast implants usually last 10 years, which means that a teenage girl will require repeated surgeries throughout her lifetime. Moreover, breast implants may cause lactation problems when a mature girl will try to breast-feed.

Liposuction also carries potentially serious risks such as infections, damage to skin, nerves, or vital organs, fluid accumulation in the lungs, toxicity and even shock or death. Since teenagers want to look like celebrities, when the surgery does not turn out the way they envisioned, they suffer from depression because they are not happy with the end result.

Considering the Surgeon’s opinion

Most plastic surgeons prefer not to do cosmetic surgery on teens except in specific cases such as congenital defects or trauma. Surgeons believe that the teens should wait until they mature and will consciously decide whether they need this surgery or not. Operating on a feature that has not yet fully developed could cause physiological and psychological problems. It is also very important to be emotionally mature in order to avoid any regrets later.

Of course, only certified plastic surgeons with great practice and results should perform surgical procedures to ensure safety of a teenager and the quality of the procedure. Finally, teenagers and their parents must be aware of the positive and negative effects that plastic surgery can have on the life of a teenager; they should consider all operative complications and the long recovery period involved.[2]

[box type=”note”]The article was written by specialists of Nordesthetics Plastic Surgery Clinic. If you are seeking more information on cosmetic surgery topic, do not hesitate to visit our website at www.nordesthetics.com[/box]

[box] References:

1.      http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309065321

2.      http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1083318800000425

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• Meet the Author • Dr. Lawrence Kindo


I am a Medical Professional with a passion for writing, blogging, playing, computers, and of course patient care. My writing in this medical blog will reflect my passion, and you are welcome to be a part of this venture. This medical blog is a tribute to all the great medical pioneers, and to the ultimate source of wisdom, God.


1 comment… add one
  • I am not a fan of plastic surgery unless it is done for medical purposes such as after an accident. I certainly do not believe that your adults should be mucking with plastic surgery.

    Reply

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