Adolescent Girls and the Rise of Cosmetic Surgeries
Adolescent girls are under pressure of exploring ways of enhancing their appearance. This pressure has seen the number of teens going for cosmetic surgeries rise dramatically in the past years. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has reported that the number of girls having cosmetic surgeries as tripled since 2002[1]. Over 236,000 teens risked their lives to have cosmetic procedures in 2012[2]. This rise is puzzling and one can only be left to wonder where the society is headed. With the risks involved and the immaturity thinking, teens should never have cosmetic surgery.
The Life-Threatening Effects of Cosmetic Surgeries on Teenagers
These procedures pose life-threatening effects to teenagers. Their body organs are not fully developed until they attain the age of twenty. This in itself puts them at a higher risk than adults in case a surgery goes wrong. Since their bodies are still in the developing stage, the outcome of the procedures is not predictable. Several studies have shown that the generic risks of adults going through a surgery do not apply to teens going through the same procedures[3]. The adults, who underwent cosmetic procedures in their teens, have experienced more complications than those who had the procedures when grown (above 20 years).
The Importance of Parental Consent and Teenagers' Decision-Making Capacity
No parent would want their children to go under the knife for a mere nose reshaping. At least 95% would not be for such ideas[4]. This shows that most teens undergo these procedures without the consent of their parents. The parents can sue the surgeons in case of any complications after the procedure. Most teenagers are probably having low self-esteem issues based on their body organs and they could be helped through counseling. A teen should not be allowed to make decisions for himself/herself which he/she might regret in future. A girl may find the most important thing in life at 18 is having a cleavage, but that can change when she gets 25[5]. It is necessary to give time for the teens to know and understand their priorities; this will take a couple of years.
The Lack of Awareness of Risks Involved and the Need for Maturity
Teenagers may think they have a right to cosmetic surgeries but in reality, they are not aware of the full extent of the risks involved. They are probably not able to calculate the health risks since they go for the procedures for pure enjoyment. Cosmetic procedures do not improve health but are only meant to make someone look better. Hence, the teens can wait until they are mature enough to make valuable decisions.
The Cost, Complications, and Long-Term Risks of Cosmetic Surgeries
Cosmetic procedures are costly and do not guarantee satisfaction. They offer opportunities for being attractive but the teenagers are at risk of complications. The procedures could cause excessive bleeding, scarring, and other anesthetic-related risks. Teenage girls popularly go for breast augmentation to be attractive. This procedure comes with complications such as autoimmune disease, skin irregularity, and infections. These surgeries typically can last for ten years. Therefore, when one goes through the surgeries when still a teenager, he/she risks facing several similar operations to put the health risks at minimal. The long-term of cosmetic surgeries can be grave such as chronic pain, numbness, and problems with breastfeeding for those with breast implants.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, teenagers should not have cosmetic surgeries because of the risks involved and their decision-making capacity. They are still too young to understand the consequences involved and are prone to making rash decisions that they'll regret in future. The surgeries come with complications that can cause both short-term and long-term health risks to the teenagers.
References
Sood, Abhinav, Vanessa Quintal, and Ian Phau. "Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Consumers' Intention to Engage in Cosmetic Surgery." Journal of Promotion Management 23, no. 2 (2017): 185-206.
Kim, Eunice. "Cosmetic Surgery for Minors." BIOMEDICAL LAW " ETHICS 5, no. 2 (2011): 75-104.
Zuckerman, Diana, and Anisha Abraham. "Teenagers and cosmetic surgery: Focus on breast augmentation and liposuction." Journal of Adolescent Health 43, no. 4 (2008): 318-324.
Davis, Kathy. Reshaping the female body: The dilemma of cosmetic surgery. Routledge, 2013.
Ashikali, Eleni-Marina, Helga Dittmar, and Susan Ayers. "The effect of cosmetic surgery reality tv shows on adolescent girls’ body image." Psychology of Popular Media Culture 3, no. 3 (2014): 141.
[1] Sood, Abhinav, Vanessa Quintal, and Ian Phau. "Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Consumers' Intention to Engage in Cosmetic Surgery." Journal of Promotion Management 23, no. 2 (2017): 185-206.
[2] Kim, Eunice. "Cosmetic Surgery for Minors." BIOMEDICAL LAW " ETHICS 5, no. 2 (2011): 75-104.
[3] Ashikali, Eleni-Marina, Helga Dittmar, and Susan Ayers. "The effect of cosmetic surgery reality tv shows on adolescent girls’ body image." Psychology of Popular Media Culture
3, no. 3 (2014): 141.
[4]
Davis, Kathy. Reshaping the female body: The dilemma of cosmetic surgery. Routledge, 2013.
[5]
Zuckerman, Diana, and Anisha Abraham. "Teenagers and cosmetic surgery: Focus on breast augmentation and liposuction." Journal of Adolescent Health
43, no. 4 (2008): 318-324.
