Cosmetic Plastic Surgery For Teens: A Major Concern For Parents?

Teen plastic surgery-Learn all about Cosmetic Plastic Surgery For Teens


Cosmetic plastic surgery for teens is becoming a major concern for parents, especially when there is so much in the media about teen body image and speculation about teen stars, such as Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera having breast augmentation to enhance their celebrity looks. For teens that are often teased because of their less attractive breasts or embarrassed in the locker room, it is very likely that they will consider going for a cosmetic plastic surgery for teens. Hence, parents should be well prepared for such situations if their teens are having such thoughts to improve their appearance.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery For Teens: A Major Concern For Parents?

First, parents should never suggest cosmetic plastic surgery to their teens. If they were to suggest the issue, a parent should feel free to discuss the option at length, but it is very inadvisable and potentially quite damaging to a teen’s self-esteem for the parent to suggest the idea first. In some cases where the parent suspects that the teen is thinking about or even talking about plastic surgery with friends but it is too embarrassed to discuss with the parent, it may be possible to ask some open-ended questions that will make the teen feel more comfortable in raising the question.

Secondly, parents need to be especially careful about unrealistic ideas that teens have about plastic surgery and how it will change their lives. Often a teen’s desire for plastic surgery will have more to do with a problem of ego than a problem of breast size. Teens who believe that different breasts will make them more popular probably need something that plastic surgery will not be able to offer them. Thus, parents should have a frank discussion with their teens about why they want a cosmetic plastic surgery and what is the current problem with their body or appearance.

Finally, parents must consider the teen’s emotional maturity. They should remember that during the teen years, there is a powerful desire for teens to be like their peers. Individuality is less accepted until later adolescence. If this seems to be a driving force behind your teen’s desire for cosmetic plastic surgery, you should be very cautious of her real emotional turmoil and respect her feelings. It is also important to assess if your teen has the maturity to deal with the pain and temporary physical disfigurement that the surgery will involve. 

If your teen’s feelings regarding cosmetic plastic surgery are repeated frequently, it may be something that you should consider. Consulting a plastic surgeon at this time can be very helpful. The surgeon can do a professional assessment of the teen’s physical and emotional maturity and give your teen important and realistic information regarding what to expect from a plastic surgery. It is a very good idea to allow the surgeon to consult with the teen alone, outside of your presence. Most teens will speak more freely about embarrassing issues outside of their parent’s presence, especially with a doctor who is neither peer nor part of the teen’s social world.

If a teen is constantly talking about seeking cosmetic plastic surgery for teens, another consideration might be Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD. Experts believe that as many as five million people suffer from BDD in the United States and the most common time for onset of this condition is, not surprisingly, during adolescence. BDD is characterized by obsessive dissatisfaction with a particular body part. The person suffering from BDD may hate his or her nose or their legs or their hips, but it is not uncommon for adolescent girls to focus their dysphoria on their breasts. In this case, cosmetic plastic surgery for teens may not be a good solution for the teen, as she probably needs psychological assistance instead.

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