Teenage Plastic Surgery Essay example -- Self Image Health Medicine M

Teenage Plastic Sugery In 2003, teenagers 18 years old and younger represented 4 percent of those receiving cosmetic plastic surgery in 2003. Although the percentage may seem small, it represents over 330,000 school-aged youths who had some kind of cosmetic surgery or procedure, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The standards for a perfect body have been getting narrower, and teens and college students are reacting to the pressure. According to the ASPS, plastic surgeons preformed over 8.7 million total cosmetic surgery procedures in 2003, a 33 percent increase from last year. Kat* is a 19-year-old sophomore at Northeastern University who has seriously been considering breast implants for the past year. Kat is 5’9 and wears an A-cup bra size. She feels that implants would make her body more proportional. â€Å"It would boost my personal self-image and self esteem a lot,† said Kat. â€Å"Even though I know it’s something social†¦ I would feel so much better if I had boobs.† Kat said that both male and female friends have teased her about her small chest. This and the pressure and stereotypes of perfect bodies from television and movies have affected the way Kat says she feels she should look. â€Å"I think it is a combo of both†¦ but more personal friends because that is your real life.† Kat has not researched the procedure, but plans to do so extensively to minimize the risks of it. She also said that to get the procedure soon she would need either to start saving now or take out a loan. Kat said she has heard horror stories and I would invest a lot into it to make sure that everything goes well. She said that her mother knows of her plans and is supportive of it but she has not yet told her... ...use photographs are two-dimensional and people are three,† said Thilert. If the patient still has unrealistic expectations, the surgeon will refer the patient to a counselor or church official, though Thilert only knows of one case where this happened. If patients are not happy with the result and the doctor agrees that it is not up to his standard, he will redo the surgery for only the cost of the hospital and the anesthesia. Thilert has three children, one in high school and two in college. She said that if her 20-year old daughter wanted to get cosmetic surgery and it was important to her, she would support her decision. â€Å"I think if [young people] have realistic expectations and are doing it for themselves and not someone else, then it’s not anyone else’s business,† said Thilert. â€Å"I do not have a problem with people feeling better about themselves.†