Possible risks of cosmetic surgery

Teens are beginning to request plastic surgery just to improve their physical characteristics.  In 2010, 219,000 cosmetic surgeries were performed on those 13-19 years old.  Before one undergoes cosmetic surgery, one should contemplate the side effects that could arise from the procedure.  they should also research and find an experienced surgeon for the procedure and whether or not one really needs the surgery.  Several risks and complications can arise from these surgeries.  Some of them are unexpected bleeding, nerve damage leading to paralysis, , delayed healing, pneumonia,  scarring, depression,  and the risk of complications with  anesthesia.  other side effects could also be seroma, which is the deposit of clear fluid that sometimes develops after liposuction, tummy tuck and breast augmentation.  The surgical area could also end up not being as symmetrical as before the surgery. In a maturing body, these problems can lead to complications or death if the procedures are done incorrectly.  This source has good examples of what the complications are and what they do to the body.

International Business Times. (2012, March 18). The dangers of plastic surgery.  Retrieved January 29, 2014 from  http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/315698/20120318/plastic-surgery-evils-skin-damage-risks-asymetry.htm#.UukOTPbZWcV  

Cosmetic Industry Offers Promise of Perfection for the Young

This article discussed the financial aspect of teenage surgeries. Younger people, who are the main customers, sought the cheapest ways to achieve the look they desired. Motivation to change their body was due to low self-esteem and confidence relating to their appearance. "In chat groups, girls exchange tips on what they were charged and how one clinic reduced their costs to match another's price. But in this busy commercial marketplace, leading plastic surgeons and others worry that medical standards can slip." Only 71 out of 619 private clinics closed after inquiry from the Care Quality Commission inspections. The rest either did not take part or refused to answer. These results brought up questions about how 'clean' these clinics truly were. Quality of the surgeries are brought into question due to the lowered costs for teens who are desperate. Cutting costs lead to lower quality surgeries which furthered the health risks for the already self-conscious teens. 
This article emphasized the importance of choosing a well-known surgeon to receive the best surgery possible. 

Boseley, S. (2012, January 15). Cosmetic industry offers promise of perfection for the young. Retrieved January 28, 2014, from http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/15/cosmetic-industry-promise-perfection-young

Treating Teens

This article discussed the pros and cons on teenagers undergoing cosmetic surgery before the age of eighteen. The author interviewed multiple doctors for their view on the issue. Pros included familial/genetic problems and that surgery helped to increase the teenagers' self-esteem. "For example, if a teenager has a familial problem, like big hips or no breasts, cosmetic procedures are very appropriate. Another example is the minimization of acne scars with laser resurfacing." Cons argued how exercise and diet are being ruled out due to rash decisions or how the parents push for the surgery more than the teenagers. "While the daughter was about 20 percent over optimal body weight, she wasn't concerned at all about it-the mother was the only one who wanted this to happen." 
This article provided interesting statistics as well as quotes for pros and cons  from doctors to aid my paper. 


Gillette, B. (2008). Treating Teens. Dermatology Times, 29, 44. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com.madonnaezp.liblime.com/elibweb/elib/do/document?set=search&dictionaryClick=&secondaryNav=&groupid=1&requestid=lib_standard&resultid=5&edition=&ts=9BA36AB1FCC9B34F31F696FCD62D0DEF_1390972040101&start=1&publicationId=&urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B152320612#citation

Teenagers and Cosmetic Surgery

This article covers multiple benefits and downsides to teens have plastic surgery. It covers everything from anti- bullying technique to long term problems and infections. The main topics that it covers include plastic surgery in a developing teen, understanding the risks of surgery, and screening. Teens bodies are constantly changing and from the age of 18 through 21 the average girl will gain weight which may change their desire to get breast augmentation. A major concern for plastic surgery is if the outcome is worth the risk. Plastic surgery is not risk free, studies have shown that women have had at least one serous complication within the first three years of surgery. A mistake in a liposuction could cause huge problems from damaging nerves to affecting ones vital organs. People have died during liposuction and many people do not know the true risk of a lot these operations. Lastly, this article talks about whether a teen needs to be screened for a certain level of maturity before the operation. The main problem with this is who determines whether the teen is old enough the parent of the physician?
 This article has both pro and con sides to my topic along with a lot of other references.

Zuckerman, D. (n.d.). A New Edition for a New Era - Our Bodies Ourselves. A New Edition for a New Era - Our Bodies Ourselves. Retrieved January 28, 2014, from http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/companion.asp?id=1&compID=102

2012 Plastic Surgery Procedural Statistics

This statistical graph shows which cosmetic surgeries are the most popular in teens from age 13-19. It shows the percent increase from 2011 to 2012 and the total amount of operations completed throughout 2012. The total amount of surgeries performed increased by 4 percent which raised the number up to 76,220. The total number of minimally-invasive procedures increased 1% and it equaled 160,136. This brought the total cosmetic operations in teens to 236,356 which was a two percent increase in total operations over the year. The top 5 surgical procedures were breast augmentation, breast reduction in men, ear surgery, liposuction, and nose reshaping. While the top 5 minimally invasive procedures turned out to be Botox, laser hair removal, laser skin resurfacing, laser treatment of leg veins, and microdermabrasion. 

This statistical graph holds a lot of information that will be useful for my paper and presentation.

2012 Cosmetic Surgery Age Distribution. (n.d.). http://www.plasticsurgery.org/. Retrieved January 28, 2014, from http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Documents/news-resources/statistics/2012-Plastic-Surgery-Statistics/cosmetic-procedures-ages-13-19.pdf

Age Distribution of Cosmetic Surgery Over a 10 Year Period

Plastic and cosmetic surgery is becoming and increasingly popular practice of Americans.  However, it is not only adults that are undergoing these risky and life altering procedures.  In 2000, the top 5 cosmetic surgeries performed on those 18 and under were: Chemical peel with 50,380, laser hair removal with 17,782, cosmetic ear surgery with 11,702, nose reshaping with 15,229, and microdermabrasion with 21,673.  Now, statistics from 2010 demonstrate that these procedures have remained to be popular among those 18 and under.  From 2000 to 2010, some surgical and nonsurgical procedures have decreased.  Chemical peels dropped to 16,175, laser hair removals increased to 51,147, microdermabrasion decreased to 10,360, cosmetic ear surgery decreased to 10,748, and nose reshaping dropped to 9,094 in 2010.  One difference in the popularity of a particular cosmetic surgery from 2000 to 2010 was that of breast augmentation.  In 2000, breast augmentations were at 2,123 and in 2010 nearly doubled to 4,153. These statistic tables are a good source of information about the popularity of cosmetic surgery among those 18 or younger.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. (2000). 2000 age distribution for cosmetic procedures. [PDF file]. Available from http://www.surgery.org/sites/default/files/2000stats.pdf.

The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. (2010). 2010 age distribution for cosmetic procedures. [PDF file].  Available from http://www.surgery.org/sites/default/files/Stats2010_1.pdf.

Cosmetic Surgery May Benefit Some Teens

This article highlighted the thought process one goes through when deciding whether to undergo cosmetic surgery. The author, Matthew Shulman, discussed the several factors that are deemed important when making the decision to receive cosmetic surgery with former president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Richard D’Amico. D'Amico stated, “If your expectations aren't realistic and you have low self-esteem or no friends, cosmetic surgery is not the right answer.” During the consultation, the doctor should able to determine whether the teenager’s views are realistic or not. “If the teenager believes that if only she got her nose done, she would no longer be ostracized, then I'd refer her for counseling. I also look at the level of parental support. You really have to look at personal maturity and make sure that the expectations are realistic.”

This article provided a surgeon’s view on the issue of teenagers thought process behind wanting to get cosmetic surgery.

Shulman, M. (n.d.). Cosmetic Surgery Can Benefit Some Teens. http://go.galegroup.com/. Retrieved January 28, 2014, from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=GPS&userGroupName=catholiccenhs&tabID=T001&searchId=R2&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&contentSet=GALE%7CEJ3010676210&&docId=GALE|EJ3010676210&docType=GALE&role=OVIC

Seeking Self-Esteem Through Surgery

This article in the New York Times delves into the controversial topic of cosmetic surgery and teenage girls.  A study conducted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery showed that from 1997 to 2007, the number of cosmetic surgeries performed on youths 18 or younger tripled from 59,890 to 205,119.  However, these surgeries were not performed because they were necessary, but to help teen girls feel better about themselves.  Plastic surgeon Dr. Fredrick Lukash stated that "kids have a different mantra" about plastic surgery, "they do it to fit in."  What these cosmetic surgery patients do not understand is that the changes they are choosing to make at such a young age are permanent and are extremely difficult to reverse.  A survey sponsored by the  Dove Self-Esteem Fund, surveyed 1000 teenage girls and learned that only 10% of them believed that they were "pretty enough" which means that 90% of them thought they did not "measure up" to those around them. Plastic surgeons believe that cosmetic surgery on teenage girls is justified because the boost it can give to their self-confidence can stop them from other "destructive behaviors, including eating disorders, bullying, and self-mutilation."
This article contains great insight from professional about why teens actually elect to receive cosmetic surgery.


Sweeney, C.. (14 January, 2009). Seeking Self-Esteem Through Surgery.  New York Times.       Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/fashion/15skin.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
   

Teens receiving plastic surgery to prevent bullying

This brief article explains why some parents allow their children to receive plastic surgery. Parents and organizations are trying to prevent teens from getting bullied through school. An anti-bullying foundation even ended up paying for a 14 year old girls plastic surgery. This ended up causing a lot of controversy so RealSelf.com took a poll to see if people were fine with teens undergoing plastic surgery if it was to prevent bullying. Over 650 people participated in this poll and the results showed that 68% of people actually favored teen plastic surgery. The other 32% was totally against teens receiving plastic surgery even if it was to help prevent bullying.  They said that while teens are claiming that they want plastic surgery to prevent bullying, their true motivation is to improve their looks. 

This article contains a brief overview on teens receiving plastic surgery to help prevent bullying and it this information is connected to my topic.

RealSelf.com Survey: Parents Weigh Plastic Surgery for Children to Prevent Bullying. (2012, August 31).www.galegroup.com. Retrieved January 28, 2014, from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DA-SORT&inPS=true&prodId=GPS&userGroupName=catholiccenhs&tabID=T003&searchId=R3&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&contentSet=GALE%7CA3011