For Cosmetic Surgery For Teens
Cosmetic
Surgery in Teenagers
Cosmetic
surgery is defined by Diana Zuckerman and Anisha Abraham as “surgery to
improve…appearance” (318). With a definition like this one it almost makes one
wonder why cosmetic surgery isn’t an option for all people, especially
teenagers. Cosmetic surgery is especially beneficial to teenagers because it
can instantly boost their self-esteem. Also despite protestors that claim
teenagers are not mature enough to undergo cosmetic surgery, a teenager’s
maturity level cannot be determined simply by age. And finally, cosmetic
surgery regulations on teenagers are not likely to change so they should be
embraced and accepted.
According
to Zuckerman and Abraham, “the ultimate role of plastic surgery has been
described as to alter the patient’s body image, and thus to improve the
patient’s quality of life” (320). Most teenagers in particular are in the
middle of a time in their lives when developing communication skills is most
critical. They are in their final years of high school, or first years in
college, or even in their first years of becoming a working adult. Self-esteem
is necessary to foster healthy interactions and communication with the people
they must encounter on a daily basis. Cosmetic surgery aids self- esteem of
teenagers because if they have a specific body part that keeps them from having
healthy self-esteem, they have the power to change it. Plastic surgeon Michael
Vermant says, “Certain body features can be very difficult to deal with and
shape one’s interactions” (Facts on File).
For example, a young girl with an abnormally large nose risks being teased,
and laughed at for something that she cannot control. Even is she is not
bothered by others it could be something that bothers her every time she looks
in the mirror. The option of cosmetic surgery would give her the control and
power to change this feature. A choice like this would change her life
completely. So, after a rhinoplasty procedure, she is more likely to hold her
head higher and have boosted self-esteem. For this reason, plastic surgery is a
great option for teenagers.
Another
reason that cosmetic surgery should be an option to teenagers is because they
have a broad variation in maturity levels. It is a common known fact that not
all people grow and develop at the same pace. Teenagers especially are growing
at a different pace and many of them are far more mature than most in their age
group. Limiting cosmetic surgery to teenagers is not reasonable because
maturity cannot be defined by age. For example an eighteen year old seeking breast
implants may be more mature than a twenty one year old seeking the same thing.
Skeptics may ask how a teenager and cosmetic surgeon know whether or not the
teen is mature enough to undergo a specific procedure and the answer is simple.
“Patients are interviewed extensively…and questioned as to why they feel that
they need the surgical procedure” (Facts on File). In addition to the interview
process, parental consent is needed for children under the age eighteen. In the
end, it is up to the surgeon and the family whether or not to proceed in the
process. The decision to have cosmetic surgery is not one that can be defined
by general age but is defined by factors far more personal.
Lastly,
it is important to note that cosmetic surgery rules are not likely to change so
they should be accepted. The idea of teenagers undergoing cosmetic surgery is
one that has been long debated. Critics argue that it is dangerous, and sends
the wrong message about body image. However, teenagers that desire a cosmetic
procedure at age seventeen will still want the procedure at age twenty one and
will have lived with the abnormality for the past four years. Another reason
the rules will not change is because of the high overall satisfaction of the
patient post operatively. For example, “A Dutch study examining the
psychological benefit of cosmetic surgery among 12-22 year olds, found that
satisfaction with the body parts that the patients considered deformed improved
6 months after cosmetic surgery” (Zuckerman Abraham 320). This says something
about the positive effect of cosmetic surgery on the way people, in general,
see themselves. If a routine cosmetic procedure has this ability it can
definitely be inferred that it can also decrease prevalence of self- esteem
related diseases such as anorexia and bulimia. Rather than starving his whole
body, a young boy can get liposuction and save himself the physical and mental
harm. These important factors are why cosmetic surgery should be an option for
teenagers.
In conclusion, there is much debate over whether cosmetic
surgery in teenagers is ethical or not. But with the burden put on them by the
media, their peers, and society to look a certain way, teenagers may be prime
patients for cosmetic surgery. The way one looks in comparison to those around
them influences the way they communicate and interact. Adolescents in
particular are susceptible to “judging a book by its cover”. They are more
likely to judge someone based on their appearance; it only makes sense for them
to put forth the best version of themselves that they can. Although critics of
cosmetic surgery say that teenagers are not mature enough to make a life
changing decision like this one, maturity cannot be measured by age. Therefore
making cosmetic surgery available based on age is an unreasonable notion. And
finally, cosmetic surgery rules are not likely to change considering the
satisfaction of most patients and the satisfaction of most doctors.
Against Cosmetic Surgery for Teens
Cosmetic Surgery In Teenagers
Cosmetic surgery is
defined by Diana Zuckerman and Anisha Abraham as “surgery to improve a “normal”
appearance” (318). With a definition like this one it almost makes one wonder
why cosmetic surgery is even a necessity for people at all. Cosmetic surgery is
especially harmful to teenagers because they have not fully developed
physically, they have a distorted idea of “normal”, and because it sends the
wrong message about self-acceptance.
Puberty is a process that occurs variably from person to
person; for this reason cosmetic surgery is detrimental to teenagers because
they are still maturing through puberty. Puberty is a stage in life that every
child endures signaling their transition into adulthood. It is different from
person to person and occurs at different ages. However for most children,
“puberty starts between ages 8 and 13 in girls and ages 9 to 15 in boys”
(KidsHealth). Each person finishes puberty at different times in their lives.
In fact, according to Zuckerman and Abraham, “breast size may also increase
with weight gain and growth charts indicate that the average female gains
weight between the ages of eighteen and twenty one” (318). Thus for example,
breast implantation is a procedure in which breast tissue is lifted and either
silicone or saline implants are inserted and incision is closed. Women with
breast implants are required to have follow up surgeries and sometimes have
implants replaced. For a teenager whose breasts are still developing, the
chance of this happening is heightened. Similarly, a teenager that requests a
rhinoplasty, a surgery to decrease the size of the nose, may be disappointed
with the results a few years later because their nose continues to grow
throughout puberty. Puberty is a part of life with effects that vary from
person to person however, it is one that should be stomached before a child
decides to change the way he/she looks. With this in mind, it is not reasonable
for teenagers to undergo cosmetic surgery to alter their appearance when they
are not even fully developed physically.
As previously stated, cosmetic surgery is defined as
“surgery to improve a “normal” appearance” (Zuckerman, Abraham, 318). This
makes cosmetic surgery harmful for teenagers because they have a distorted idea
of what is normal. This misleading impression of normalcy comes from various
places such as the media as well as their misinformed peers. The media presents
a false illusion of what beauty looks like realistically and teenagers in
particular are vulnerable to be disillusioned. According to the article
entitled Teens and Cosmetic Surgery,
“society constantly pushes the notion that beauty is not in the eye of the
beholder, but in the eye of the media” (Facts on File). All throughout their
television, magazines, and advertisements, teenagers are presented with tall,
slim, yet curvy women and tall brawny, muscular men. This becomes the ideal
goal for adolescents. They are striving to look like their favorite actors,
actresses, and models. Another thing that contributes to the misconstrued image
of a normal body is misinformed peers. A lot of the time, teenagers will put
pressure on one another while going through puberty. For example, a young girl
that is slowly progressing through puberty is more likely to be teased or to
feel ostracized because she is not as developed as other girls. This may cause
her to consider cosmetic surgery without seeing the full picture and thinking
about the complications and long term side effects. For these reasons cosmetic
surgery is an unhealthy idea for teenagers that especially have a distorted
view of what is normal.
The final reason that cosmetic surgery proves to be
injurious to teenagers is because it sends the wrong message about body image.
It teaches young girls and boys that instead of accepting themselves and their
differences, they should spend thousands of dollars and risk their lives to
change. Young girls believe that to feel better about themselves they need to
undergo extreme changes despite the high risks. They must look “normal” at all
costs. Zuckerman and Abraham say, “if the goal of cosmetic surgery is to feel
better about [oneself]…many girls and women seeking cosmetic surgery might
benefit more from therapeutic approaches aimed at improving self-esteem or
general body image or those aimed at decreasing depression” (321). In addition,
cosmetic surgery often requires many follow-up surgeries to maintain the
results of the initial surgery, specifically breast implants. This is another
reason why teenagers should internally heal their self-esteem and body image
rather than externally.
In conclusion, cosmetic surgery for teenagers is a
controversial topic with either side having valid points however, it should not
be an option for teenagers. Most teenagers are not fully developed until they
are out of their teens and sometimes into their early twenties. Another reason
is that they have a distorted idea of what normal is. Considering they are most
likely having the surgery to correct something they see as abnormal, it is
important that a patient is mature enough to know what a realistic body should
look like. In the article, Teenage Girls
and Plastic Surgery, Kearny-Cook says that “most teenage girls feel
perpetually inadequate as they try to live up to those impossibly high
standards of beauty” (Facts on File). This reinforces the fact that teenagers
are not able to decide whether or not to alter their bodies in such an extreme
and dangerous way. And lastly, it gives them a false perception of body image.
Instead of teaching young people to grow to like the way that they look, or to
seek therapy, allowing teenagers to undergo plastic surgery teaches them that a
quick fix solution will solve their internal conflicts. In closing, teenagers
should not be allowed to undergo cosmetic surgery.
Works Cited
Dowshen, Steven, ed. "All about Puberty." Kids Health. Nemours, Oct. 2012. Web. 3
Nov. 2013. <http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/puberty.html#a_Developing_Differently>.
Self Assessment Program. Screening for Mental Health, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/resources/teenagers-and-stress.aspx>.
Teenage Girls and
Plastic Surgery. N.p.: Facts on File News
Services, 2009. Issues and Controversies.
Web. 3 Nov. 2013. <http://www.2facts.com/article/i1400330>.
Teens and Cosmetic
Surgery. N.p.: Facts on File News Services,
2004. Issues and Controversies. Web.
3 Nov. 2013. <http://www.2facts.com/article/i0902640>.
Zuckerman, Diana, and Anisha Abraham. "Teenagers and Cosmetic
Surgery: Focus on Breast Augmentation and Liposuction." Journal of Adolescent Health 43 (2008):
318-24. Print.
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