Type of Surgery
Teenage Plastic Surgery - Trends and Guidelines
Last updated: 09/22/2009
This article discusses teenage cosmetic surgery trends and currently popular procedures. We also review the guidelines that the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) uses to determine whether teenage plastic surgery treatment is warranted in a particular case.
Regardless of the social and emotional impact that some perceived physical imperfections may hold for teenage patients, some situations reflect absolute contraindications to teenage plastic surgery. Surgeons will almost always refuse to perform teenage plastic surgery if there is a high likelihood that a physical problem will correct itself with time. For example, if a child has not experienced all of the physical changes of puberty, a surgeon will likely refuse to perform breast augmentation. Also, if the child’s physical changes are a direct result of puberty, most surgeons will postpone surgery until pubertal changes have taken their course. Liposuction or other fat removing surgery must be carefully considered in a teenage patient. Most physicians will insist that dietary and lifestyle changes be attempted before these teenage plastic surgery procedures.
Aside from these contradictions, cosmetic surgeons are more likely to operate on structures that are less dependent or independent of hormones. There are a number of complaints common to teens that are unrelated to development and are often the target of teenage plastic surgery. For example, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), breast reduction, correction of asymmetrical breasts (toward the end or after puberty), gynecosmastia (excessive breast development in males), and ear reshaping surgery are common teenage plastic surgeries.
For teens that are considering plastic surgery to correct a perceived physical imperfection and their parents, there are several guideline criteria that surgeons generally use to evaluate surgical suitability.
Assess physical maturity
As mentioned above, if there is a high likelihood that the problem will correct itself during the course of natural development, surgery is usually deferred. Also, operating on a feature that hasn't yet developed fully can interfere with its development. In the case of reduction mammoplasties, if the breasts have not fully developed, the reduction may cause them to develop unevenly.
Assess emotional maturity and ensure realistic expectations
While it may be uncommon to find an emotionally mature teenager, the ASAPS has several criteria by which to measure the emotional development of any prospective patient, especially a teenager. As with any cosmetic surgery patient, the plastic surgeon should frankly discuss the reasonable and realistic expectations of a given teenage plastic surgery. Parents should ask that the surgeon clearly define the benefits and limitations of the surgical procedure.
Inform patients about risks and recovery time
Teenagers have remarkably full and busy lives—it is important to discuss the need for proper aftercare and recovery time. While this is a requirement for all plastic surgery patients, the risk of short and long term complications can be greater in teenagers, especially in those that neglect instructions for proper healing.
Last Updated: 09/22/2009
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