Cosmetic Kids

An estimated 9,000 teenagers underwent cosmetic surgery last year, going under the knife for nose jobs, liposuction and even breast implants. For many kids, physical appearance is very important. So, surgery to correct imperfections is becoming commonplace.

Seventeen-year-old Brittony had surgery to have a bump on her nose removed. "I think I could have gone with it, says Brittony. "But I would prefer to have it fixed."

Fixing the imperfection cost Brittony’s father, Lee Hunt, five thousand dollars. Hunt says it was a small price to pay for his daughter to feel like she fits in and for her to feel good about her appearance. "We’ve got the video generation," says Hunt. "Now everything is related to how you appear."

Experts say that the plastic surgery craze among teens reached it’s high point in the early 1990’s and now teens are turning to more involved surgery such as liposuction and breast implants. Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Vincent Zubowicz says parents and kids need to ask themselves why they want the surgery before they go through with it. "My job as a plastic surgeon in these sorts of circumstances is to explain to the parent, and the child in this case, exactly what they are getting into," says Zubowicz.

Zubowicz says parents need to be clear that cutting away a bump on the nose or trimming down a child’s waistline won’t help a child who is having deeper problems with accepting themselves and the way they look. "So what we have to do is sort out whether or not the surgical approach to the problem is going to correct the problem and be of some benefit to the child," says Zubowicz. "Now it becomes incumbent on the parents to make that decision for the child."

What Parents Can Do

Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Vincent Zubowicz offers these suggestions to parents of kids considering cosmetic surgery.

Is the surgery necessary? Most cosmetic surgery is not medically necessary. Parents need to determine whether or not a child’s life is being made more difficult by a particular physical feature and if the surgery will really help the child have a better perception of themselves.

Be realistic. Often, kids want the surgery to look better but also to feel better about themselves. Zubowicz says surgery will have a positive outcome with someone who feels good about themselves but has a particular feature that displeases them as opposed to someone who thinks that a particular feature is causing other problems.

Consider the costs. Zubowicz warns parents that more and more insurance companies are not paying for cosmetic surgery and that the services are very costly. A nose job can cost between $3,000 to $8,000 dollars. Liposuction runs around $2,000 and a tummy tuck costs around $5,000.

Be aware. Zubowicz warns that there are cultural and social pressures that are pushing kids, parents and cosmetic surgeons to be more aggressive concerning surgery. Zubowicz again stresses that parents should investigate whether or not a child may be struggling with deeper issues regarding self-image.