Should Teens have Cosmetic Surgery?
Life as a teenager is hard. With so much going inside with finding out who and what youre all about to outside pressures from peers to developing crucial skills needed to face the world; should you add to that pile by undergoing potentially risky surgery in the name vanity? (This does not include reconstructive surgery meant to correct or repair something that happed to body). There is a place for cosmetic surgery, however more often than not people go under the knife for the work reasons.
A lot of teens seem to think that having cosmetic surgery will solve their problems and make them more popular; this is simply not the case. It been proven time and time again that the issues stays the same, even after surgery. For this reason cosmetic surgeons conduct an interview process with a potential patient to see if:
Do you absolutely have to have it? Do have all the facts to make a rational decision? What is your general mental or emotional well being? Do you have a realistic understanding of the surgery/ what the surgery will involve?
Cosmetic surgery is just that... Surgery. Which means that youll be put under and cut open. It may sound harsh but it is important to realize that plastic surgery is still a medical procedure full of recovery pain, potential for complication and risks. When you add all the time, stress and recovery factors together it may be too much for some people to handle. Preparation and research are key to the success of the surgery.
Looking beyond the emotional and physical impacts of plastic surgery, there is also the age factor to take into account. Some operations can not be done until the body has matured to a certain stage. For example a nose job can only be done once the nose is done fully forming which varies from person to person and is different in girls and boys. The other restriction is a legal one. Procedures such as breast implants can only be done once the person is of legal age (there are special cases where a deformity or reconstructive surgery may be the exception).
Before making up your mind to have plastic surgery:
Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) at some point, if not through out their teen years are/have been self conscious about their appearance and body. We tend to over analyze and blow small unnoticeable aspects of our bodys way out of proportion. As we grow and become more aware and gain more insight into who and what we are as individuals, we become confident and learn to love ourselves (it may sounds lame but its the truth). If youre considering plastic surgery to feel like youll fit in...Dont do it, it wont solve the real problem (it is a matter of fitting in with others; its about fitting in within your own skin). As a teenager your body is constantly changing and growing. If there is a part of your body that you dont like, whether it is to small or big keep in mind that once you stop growing chances are everything will be as it should.
More often than not the answer isnt surgery; it is diet and getting into shape. It is astonishing what the right diet and exercise can do. If youre a girl and are concerned with breast development there are exercises that are proven to enhance breasts with out the need for surgery. If you are self conscious because you think youre over weight, or even if you are bigger, getting lipo or a gastric bypass is dangerous and should you have a problem with eating or lack of exercise it wont solve anything. Get out and work out! eat right and talk to someone, it isnt easy and having someone to talk to is important both for understanding and support. Looking good and more important feeling good about yourself is a life long commitment..... best get use to it when youre young, its fun if you let it.
As a final thought, you should really step back and ask your self: do I really need surgery? Or would eating right and working out solve the problem? There are way too many kids that are.... this may seem harsh....lazy. Why on earth would anyone want to undergo dangerous surgery that will impact the rest of their life when the same results can be achieved naturally? This applies to more than just loosing weight, there are many natural and proven methods to improve certain physical aspects. Do some research and try everything you can before resorting to surgery. When you feel attractive because you have self esteem it comes across.
March 17 2009 04:52 am | Cosmetic Surgery