Should teens have plastic surgery to look good?
Breast Surgery For Teens
The death of a Florida teenage cheerleader , Stephanie Kuleba, due to complications from breast surgery has once again brought the subject of breast augmentation for teens to the forefront.
In Canada, surgery to correct asymetical breasts among teenage girls is the third most popular consmetic surgery for young women.
While it’s healthy for teens to have control over their appearance, should plastic surgery be an option for changing their looks?
NIPPED in the bud
Those 18 and younger accounted for less than 2 per cent of cosmetic procedures in 2005, says Dr. Brian Petersen, President of The Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The top four surgical procedures for teens in 2005 were:
1 Cosmetic ear surgery (otoplasty)—which accounts for 50 per cent
of the procedures done for teens
2 Nasal surgery (rhinoplasty)
3 Female breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty) to balance breast symmetry
4 Male breast reduction (gynecomastia) accounts for 10 per cent of teen surgery
According to a 2006 Medicard Survey (www.medicard.com) the top three nonsurgical procedures for Canadians 18 and younger were:
1 Mole removal
2 Laser hair removal
3 Microdermabrasion
student BODIES Here’s what you should know before taking the plunge into cosmetic surgery:
Medical Coverage
Any health insurance will cover a young person who has a clef lip or palette, whose ears stick out, whose nose has been pushed out of shape due to an accident, and young girls with large breasts that cause neck pain and prevent sport activities.
Screening and Parental Consent
An extended consultation and frank discussion about the ramifications of cosmetic surgery and the long-term effects 20 years down the road is crucial. “For a 16-or 17-year-old patient, I would have their parents present at all times to ask them if their child fully understands this is not just a matter of popping in for a little nip here and tuck there,” adds Petersen. “Surgical procedures require serious consideration. The last thing you want is to operate on someone and have him or her go home to live with their parents who have no knowledge. That would be a disaster.”
Physical Considerations
“If you do an operation prior to when a teen has finished growing, the effects of the surgery will be compromised by further growth,” says Dr. Petersen. “Physically mature means you’ve reached your adult height and your secondary sexual characteristics [ie. breast and genitals are fully mature]. Boys and girls mature physically at different rates; girls mature quicker than boys, normally between the ages of 16 to 18. Boys tend to lag behind women about 2–3 years. Most young men are mature anywhere from 18–21.”
Psychological Considerations
How emotionally mature are you? Plastic surgery is not going to make you fit into a peer group that you don’t belong to now, or make you look like a movie star or supermodel at the prom.
Breast Surgery
It’s tough for an adolescent who has one breast that’s a B-cup and the other a D-cup. But as with any operation, there are risks of complications and timing is crucial. Have your breast changed size over the last two years? A young woman who wants to have breast reduction may not be able to breastfeed after pregnancy, and this requires a frank discussion. If you have breast surgery at a young age, the procedure may need to be repeated if your breasts continue to develop. And breast reduction can be a guy thing too. Gynecomastia, or enlarged male breasts, is not something many men feel comfortable talking about but growing numbers are seeking surgery to fix the problem. Fairly common—but usually temporary in adolescent boys—gynecomastia can be caused by puberty, obesity, genetic disorders and steroid.
KNIFE-STYLE of the rich & famousElaine Lui, gossip columnist (www.laineygossip.com) and reporter on CTV’s eTalk, tracks the young Hollywood scene and dishes on rumours of cosmetic surgery among the young and famous.
Q. Is young Hollywood hooked on cosmetic surgery?
A. There has been a lot of scrutiny placed on younger stars. Britney Spears is rumoured to have had breast enhancement, ditto for Lindsey Lohan. I personally don’t think so as their breast size seems to fluctuate with their weight. Jessica Simpson’s lips were obviously injected, but no one was admitting it.
Q. What about Ashley Simpson’s “new” nose?
A. It is widely acknowledged that Ashley Simpson got a nose job. To my knowledge, she has not openly confirmed nor denied it. In my honest opinion, if I’m going to be shallow, I do think she looks better…I think it’s the world’s prettiest nose job. But, I don’t think she had a problematic nose to begin with. She’s being hypocritical because her message has been for people to love themselves as they are. Butchering your face at the age of 20 isn’t exactly staying true to those values.
Q. Are there any role models for teens in Hollywood?
A. It’s really hard to role model in Hollywood, but I do like the Olsen twins,
because they are really walking to the beat of their own drum without having their asses hanging out.
Q. They already have the big career going and their image is accepted, so why do they cave in?
A. It’s Hollywood! In that world they place such a premium on your appearance…There is an unwritten, silent code that you must look a certain way to appeal to a certain demographic. That’s the pressure and some are too weak to fight against it. A lot of these people are very insecure and they keep mutilating themselves. I’ve heard that young stars are getting their eyes done at age 16!
Q. You covered the Oscar™ Red carpet for eTalk. What do these stars look like in person?
A. Plastic everywhere. Nicole Kidman looked like a beautiful statue, but a
human being isn’t supposed to look like a statue. She glided along like a robot; it was scary to me. Almost all of them tan—be it the Mystic spray version or whatever—so most of them are orange.
Q. Do you think North American teens are buying into cosmetic surgery?
A. No, not the ones I’ve met, and I find that positive and encouraging. I’ve worked with teens—for Covenant House Vancouver and in high schools. However, there are some messages that you can’t avoid; like how important it is to be “pretty”. Even though they may not get the plastic surgery, they are very aware of it. They still get up in the morning and spend 45 minutes on themselves. It’s about degrees.
photos: courtesy of citytv & muchmusic
