When it is appropriate for a teenager to alter their looks, and when it is appropriate for them to wait.
While adults are taking strides to maintain, or recapture, that youthful glow, America’s youth appears to be aging at an increasingly rapid rate. And just like their adult counterparts, teens have begun to take control of their appearances, seeking plastic surgery now more than ever. The question is, when is plastic surgery appropriate for a teenager and when is it not? Below we share our position on plastic surgery and your teen, to help provide you, the parent, with the information to make the right choice for your family.
When Plastic Surgery Is Appropriate for Teenagers. Plastic surgery should be a well thought out decision by everyone, however, particular consideration should be given when the patient is a teen. Teenagers are especially critical of their appearances not only because of outside influences, like celebrities, but also because they are of the age when they are beginning to figure out who they are. But when a teenager seeks to alter or improve their appearance, it should be due to a glaring abnormality or defect, not for the achievement of an unknown ideal. And the physical attribute at issue should be genuinely noticeable, not something that they’re imagining. The following procedures are most commonly performed on teenagers, when they reach an appropriate age.
- Nose jobs: This procedure is commonly performed on teens unhappy with the shape and size of their nose. The mid-portion of the face doesn’t complete its growth for girls until 16 or 17 years old, and 17 or 18 years old for boys.
- Liposuction: Liposuction of the stomach may be performed on a teens who are overweight, but this should wait until after 15 years of age. Male breast reduction, or gynecomastia, is also often performed on young men, after 14 years of age.
- Breast reduction: This procedure is not uncommon for teenage girls. There is a possibility for continued growth of the breast, however, so proceed with caution. Consult a board certified plastic surgeon, but most will say that when it is appropriate depends on the size of the breast.
- Scar revisions: Falls or car accidents that occur in early childhood are often revised to lessen and improve their appearance.
- Laser resurfacing: This is performed to lessen the appearance of acne, and less significant scarring. Acne must be resolved before laser treatment can be performed.
- Earlobe reconstruction: Ear pinning, also called otoplasty, is performed on youths beginning at 9 years of age unhappy with the shape or positioning of their ears.
- Mole removal: This procedure is common because the presence of moles, especially on the face can make teens feel self-conscious.
Reasons Why Your Teen Should Wait For Plastic Surgery. Our culture makes it socially acceptable to seek plastic surgery because celebrities create the idea that if you are beautiful and perfect you will be rich, famous and loved. Teens especially find surgery as a simple to solution to finding what will make them well like, or happy. While there are legitimate reasons for surgery at an early age, teens merely seeking to achieve an ideal should not be operated on until a later age. Cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction for air between the thighs, lip injections or fillers, and botox are not appropriate for teenagers.
When a physical attribute or deformity causes a teenager to be self-conscious, or creates emotional distress, then repairing that issue may be appropriate. However, Many opt to get these procedures for the wrong reasons. Whether or not a teenager is seeking plastic for the right reason will be glaringly obvious because such attributes are clearly a source of insecurity and self-consciousness. If your teen is considering plastic surgery, Chicago’s Top Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Frank Madda, is here to answer all of your questions and help you understand is plastic surgery is the right decision, now. Contact us today for your free consultation.