<
As the desire for aesthetic beauty poses no age requirement, there has begun a subtle yet undeniable trend of younger people seeking plastic surgery procedures. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) states that in the US, almost 210,000 cosmetic surgery operations were performed in 2009 on individuals from the ages of 13-19. No doubt a controversial issue, this trend has been criticized by many, in the process throwing stones and blame at the media and its influence on these young individuals.
Nevertheless, no law prevents young individuals – specifically those under 18 – from undergoing a plastic surgery procedure. Therefore, teenagers who feel some sort of insecurity consider plastic surgery as a solution.
In terms of the doctor’s evaluation on whether or not the teenage patient is a good candidate for plastic surgery is based on three essential things:
- The teenager initiates the request for the operation.
- The teenager is mature enough to deal with the immediate side effects
- The teenager’s expectations for the results are realistic
The third element is something that is required for a plastic surgery patient of any kind. It gains bigger importance, however, for teenage patients, especially those in the middle of their psycho-emotional formative years.
COMMON PROCEDURES
One of the most common reasons for a patient of any age to opt for plastic surgery is some form of insecurity or dissatisfaction with their appearance, which leads to issues of self-esteem. Although this is a problem not uncommon to any individual, this is a constant problem plaguing teenagers. And the effort to remedy this problem is evident in the kinds of procedures listed below (in no particular order) opted for by those with the means (and parental permission) to get surgery:
Rhinoplasty
Arguably the most common type of surgery for teenagers, rhinoplasty or nose reshaping is the ultimate solution for those feeling insecure with the size or shape (or both) of their nose. A nose seen as disproportion from the rest of the facial features can indeed have significant effects, as it is the central feature of the human face. This surgery, however, is usually performed on patients whose noses have reached maturity – during the age of 15 or 16 for girls, and about 16 or 17 for boys.
The ASPS revealed that rhinoplasty was performed on nearly 35,000 patients ages 13-19 in 2009 – 50% of the overall cosmetic procedure figure of the age group.
Breast Augmentation/Breast Asymmetry Correction
Breast augmentation is usually the solution for teenagers suffering from breast asymmetry (with one breast significantly larger than the other). This procedure is also a used to correct the aesthetic issues of teenagers with abnormally underdeveloped breasts.
The ASPS noted that in 2009, over 8,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed on individuals aged 18-19.
In terms of correcting breast asymmetry, some teenagers also opt for breast reduction instead of augmentation in order to even out breast size.
Acne and Scar Treatment
One of the most prevalent physical annoyances experienced by any teenager is the acne outbreak. Except for a lucky few, every teenager is expected to have at least a few pimples plaguing their adolescent skin. This is a common occurrence to which a lot of teenagers can relate.
However, some adolescents experience acne outbreaks that are worse than normal, causing extreme discomfort, irritation, and (knowing the teenage world) embarrassment. It is because of this that some teenagers decide to undergo skin treatments that go beyond the usual astringent/cream solution. Procedures such as microdermabrasion are known to refine the skin’s outer layer, eliminating dead skin cells and in the process making way for new, clear skin to grow out.
Other procedures that address skin problems include chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing.
An average of 10,000 microdermabrasion procedures was carried out on patients from 13-19 years of age in 2009. Additionally, during the same period there were a recorded 3,000 dermabrasion procedures, 5,000 chemical peel treatments, and 16,000 laser skin resurfacing procedures performed on patients of the same age group.
Otoplasty (ear surgery)
Another particular source of teenage insecurity is protruding ears; or more specifically, ears that stick far out to the sides. The procedure involves pulling the ears backwards, towards the back of the head, thereby reducing the outward angle. This procedure is one of the safest operations for teenagers, as it can be performed on anyone over 5 years of age.
According to the ASPS, in 2009 there were about 8,000 otoplasty procedures performed on children aged 13-19 – a total of 11% of the overall procedures for that age group.
Male breast reduction
Certain hormonal imbalances in the physiology of the teenage male can bring about an embarrassing, emotionally scarring consequence: protruding breasts. Scientifically termed as gynecomastia, such a condition experienced by a male teenager can result in peer ridicule and eventually social withdrawal on the part of the individual. This problem is surprisingly common among teenage boys, with about 40-60% suffering from it.
Faced with a complicated and delicate situation, teenage boys with gynecomastia often seek out breast reduction to remedy their problem. A surgical procedure to correct their condition can bring about life-changing results that can perhaps save the teenager’s self-esteem in the long run.
Statistics show that there were about 13,000 male breast reduction surgeries done on teenagers from 13-19 years of age in 2009 – about 17% of the total plastic surgery procedures.
The full ASPS report can be seen and downloaded here.
PG-13 Surgery
As the desire for aesthetic beauty poses no age requirement, there has begun a subtle yet undeniable trend of younger people seeking plastic surgery procedures. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) states that in the US, almost 210,000 cosmetic surgery operations were performed in 2009 on individuals from the ages of 13-19. No doubt a controversial issue, this trend has been criticized by many, in the process throwing stones and blame at the media and its influence on these young individuals.
Nevertheless, no law prevents young individuals – specifically those under 18 – from undergoing a plastic surgery procedure. Therefore, teenagers who feel some sort of insecurity consider plastic surgery as a solution.
In terms of the doctor’s evaluation on whether or not the teenage patient is a good candidate for plastic surgery is based on three essential things:
- The teenager initiates the request for the operation.
- The teenager is mature enough to deal with the immediate side effects
- The teenager’s expectations for the results are realistic
The third element is something that is required for a plastic surgery patient of any kind. It gains bigger importance, however, for teenage patients, especially those in the middle of their psycho-emotional formative years.
One of the most common reasons for a patient of any age to opt for plastic surgery is some form of insecurity or dissatisfaction with their appearance, which leads to issues of self-esteem. Although this is a problem not uncommon to any individual, this is a constant problem plaguing teenagers. And the effort to remedy this problem is evident in the kinds of procedures listed below (in no particular order) opted for by those with the means (and parental permission) to get surgery:
Rhinoplasty
Arguably the most common type of surgery for teenagers, rhinoplasty or nose reshaping is the ultimate solution for those feeling insecure with the size or shape (or both) of their nose. A nose seen as disproportion from the rest of the facial features can indeed have significant effects, as it is the central feature of the human face. This surgery, however, is usually performed on patients whose noses have reached maturity – during the age of 15 or 16 for girls, and about 16 or 17 for boys.
The ASPS revealed that rhinoplasty was performed on nearly 35,000 patients ages 13-19 in 2009 – 50% of the overall cosmetic procedure figure of the age group.
Breast Augmentation/Breast Asymmetry Correction
Breast augmentation is usually the solution for teenagers suffering from breast asymmetry (with one breast significantly larger than the other). This procedure is also a used to correct the aesthetic issues of teenagers with abnormally underdeveloped breasts.
The ASPS noted that in 2009, over 8,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed on individuals aged 18-19.
In terms of correcting breast asymmetry, some teenagers also opt for breast reduction instead of augmentation in order to even out breast size.
Acne and Scar Treatment
One of the most prevalent physical annoyances experienced by any teenager is the acne outbreak. Except for a lucky few, every teenager is expected to have at least a few pimples plaguing their adolescent skin. This is a common occurrence to which a lot of teenagers can relate.
However, some adolescents experience acne outbreaks that are worse than normal, causing extreme discomfort, irritation, and (knowing the teenage world) embarrassment. It is because of this that some teenagers decide to undergo skin treatments that go beyond the usual astringent/cream solution. Procedures such as microdermabrasion are known to refine the skin’s outer layer, eliminating dead skin cells and in the process making way for new, clear skin to grow out.
Other procedures that address skin problems include chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing.
An average of 10,000 microdermabrasion procedures was carried out on patients from 13-19 years of age in 2009. Additionally, during the same period there were a recorded 3,000 dermabrasion procedures, 5,000 chemical peel treatments, and 16,000 laser skin resurfacing procedures performed on patients of the same age group.
Otoplasty (ear surgery)
Another particular source of teenage insecurity is protruding ears; or more specifically, ears that stick far out to the sides. The procedure involves pulling the ears backwards, towards the back of the head, thereby reducing the outward angle. This procedure is one of the safest operations for teenagers, as it can be performed on anyone over 5 years of age.
According to the ASPS, in 2009 there were about 8,000 otoplasty procedures performed on children aged 13-19 – a total of 11% of the overall procedures for that age group.
Male breast reduction
Certain hormonal imbalances in the physiology of the teenage male can bring about an embarrassing, emotionally scarring consequence: protruding breasts. Scientifically termed as gynecomastia, such a condition experienced by a male teenager can result in peer ridicule and eventually social withdrawal on the part of the individual. This problem is surprisingly common among teenage boys, with about 40-60% suffering from it.
Faced with a complicated and delicate situation, teenage boys with gynecomastia often seek out breast reduction to remedy their problem. A surgical procedure to correct their condition can bring about life-changing results that can perhaps save the teenager’s self-esteem in the long run.
Statistics show that there were about 13,000 male breast reduction surgeries done on teenagers from 13-19 years of age in 2009 – about 17% of the total plastic surgery procedures.
The full ASPS report can be seen and downloaded here.
Tags: "plastic surgery" "comment" tips blog -seo teens, aesthetic beauty, belo, breast augmentation, breast reduction, chemical peel, chemical peels, controversial issue, cosmetic surgery operations, dermabrasion, dissatisfaction, essential things, formative years, gynecomastia, insecurity, microdermabrasion, no doubt, parental permission, pg 13, pg&, plastic, plastic surgery, plastic surgery patient, plastic surgery procedure, plastic surgery procedures, psycho, rhinoplasty, s, scarring, self esteem, society of plastic surgeons, surgery, throwing stones, ultimate solution,
Related Posts