Boon's Basement

You don’t get self esteem from the Scalpel.

// June 12th, 2009 // News

source: NYTimes

In tandem with the rise of cultural obsession of celebrity look or a Hollywood makeover, many teens are feeling the pressure to fit in based on the narrow view that has developed throughout the years. Adolescences are more self-conscious about their physical appearance, largely due to the teasing of friends and false image portrayed by mainstream media of what beauty is: body with curves, big breasts, sharp nose, large and round nose etc.

Faced with self esteem issue,many teenagers are having their body altered under the scalpel. Receiving breast augmentations, liposuctions, or even nose alterations as birthday or graduation gifts from parents are common among the American teenagers.

According to the latest figures from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery show that the number of cosmetic surgical procedures performed on teenagers 18 or younger more than tripled over a 10-year period, to 205,119 in 2007 from 59,890 in 1997. Controversial procedures such as: liposuctions rose to 9,295 from 2,504, and breast augmentations increased nearly sixfold, to 7,882 from 1,326. [Amy Fledderman (18) of Pennsylvania, who died in 2001 of fat embolism syndrome after undergoing liposuction, and Stephanie Kuleba (18) of Florida, who died last spring from complications because of anesthesia used during a breast augmentation and inverted nipple surgery.]

The society and the media are not the sole force behind the compelling interest in plastic surgery. Parents’ understanding and apathy towards a kid’s dissatisfaction on a less ideal physical appearance such as a crooked nose can also be attributed to the increases in youths getting plastic surgery.

Plastic surgery may not be all that bad as according to Michael Laudisio, now 22, of Massapequa, N.Y. Not knowing the implication of having his ear pinned 10 years ago, he sure glad his parents did it for him. Michael recalled, “I had really big ears like no one else and was teased about it all the time.” “That surgery made me free,” said Michael.

But it can be a very fine line between corrective surgery and cosmetic, and even within a family there can be vastly differing opinions. “I’ve had mothers dragging their daughters in to have something done, and of course, if the teen is not on board, I’ll suggest another appropriate course of action,” said Dr. D’Amico,plastic surgeon in Englewood, N.J who then added, “You don’t get self-esteem from a scalpel.”

-Boon