Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic Surgery on Teenagers
Shirrena E. Perkins
Course: COM/150
February 28, 2010
Grace Clausing
Table of Contents • Introduction
• Body and Mind Still Developing During Teenage Years
• Is It All Right To Seek Surgery With Unrealistic Expectations
• Regrets
• Legal or Illegal
• Conclusion
Introduction
A desire among teenagers to undergo cosmetic surgery has been on a rapid rise. This can mostly be contributed to these new reality television shows that now air on a weekly basis that they have become addicted to watching. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) (2010) stated, “More than 219,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on people 13-19 in 2008.” Although some believe administering cosmetic surgery on teenagers is all right, teenagers are too young and not mature enough to foresee the consequences of their actions. Some reasons teenagers seek cosmetic surgery are to find one’s own identity, a beauty enhancement or peer acceptance, the desire or need to fit in. All these reasons along with many others are not good reasons why a teenager should undergo cosmetic surgery. Growing up from childhood to adulthood is a process. After filling one of these needs during their teenage years while physically and mentally underdeveloped, he or she may take the risk of having regrets later on in his or her life.
Body and Mind Still Developing During Teenage Years It is common knowledge for most to know that a teenager’s body can still be going through a development stage all the way up until their late teens and early twenties. It mentions in the Growth Problems section of the Teens Health website, teenagers go through a stage in their lives called constitutional growth delay; or what some may classify this group of children, “late bloomers.” (Dowshen, 2007, para. 7) During this time, a child’s growth rate is normal in his or her younger years, but slows down in his
Shirrena E. Perkins
Course: COM/150
February 28, 2010
Grace Clausing
Table of Contents • Introduction
• Body and Mind Still Developing During Teenage Years
• Is It All Right To Seek Surgery With Unrealistic Expectations
• Regrets
• Legal or Illegal
• Conclusion
Introduction
A desire among teenagers to undergo cosmetic surgery has been on a rapid rise. This can mostly be contributed to these new reality television shows that now air on a weekly basis that they have become addicted to watching. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) (2010) stated, “More than 219,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on people 13-19 in 2008.” Although some believe administering cosmetic surgery on teenagers is all right, teenagers are too young and not mature enough to foresee the consequences of their actions. Some reasons teenagers seek cosmetic surgery are to find one’s own identity, a beauty enhancement or peer acceptance, the desire or need to fit in. All these reasons along with many others are not good reasons why a teenager should undergo cosmetic surgery. Growing up from childhood to adulthood is a process. After filling one of these needs during their teenage years while physically and mentally underdeveloped, he or she may take the risk of having regrets later on in his or her life.
Body and Mind Still Developing During Teenage Years It is common knowledge for most to know that a teenager’s body can still be going through a development stage all the way up until their late teens and early twenties. It mentions in the Growth Problems section of the Teens Health website, teenagers go through a stage in their lives called constitutional growth delay; or what some may classify this group of children, “late bloomers.” (Dowshen, 2007, para. 7) During this time, a child’s growth rate is normal in his or her younger years, but slows down in his
References: Briefing, P. S. (2010). Plastic Surgery for Teenagers Briefing. Retrieved February 1, 2010 website: American Society of Plastic Surgeons: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Briefing_Papers/Plastic_Surgery_for_Teenagers.html Childs, Dan. (April 21, 2008). Australian State Bans Cosmetic Surgery for Teens. Retrieved December 19, 2009 website: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/BeautySecrets/story?id=4694079&page=1 Dowshen, S. M. (2007, April). Growth Problems. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from Teens Health: http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/growth/growth_hormone.html# Mirianne. Cosmetic Surgery Is Okay for Teenagers. Teens Decisions: Body Image. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Apollo Library-Univ of Phoenix. 2 Feb. 2010 website: http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010304202&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=uphoenix&version=1.0 Nicholas. Sadie. (2008, April). Nip and UN-tuck: Why we regret our teenage cosmetic surgery. Retrieved February 25, 2010 website: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-555010/Nip-UN-tuck-Why-regret-teenage-cosmetic-surgery.html Niel. (April 7, 2008) Can The Kids Still Dance? Retrieved February 1, 2010 website: http://www.the-cosmetic-surgery-directory.com/2008/04/can-kids-still-dance.html Simons, Janet. (July 10, 2004). TV’s magic makeover might scar kids’ thinking. Retrieved February 1, 2010 website: http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040710/news_1c10makeover.html