The number of people having cosmetic plastic surgery has tripled since 1992, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Breast augmentation has increased 53 percent and liposuction 31 percent. Today, plastic surgery is not just for the rich and famous; increasingly it is seen as a common intervention to basically normal bodies.
And the average age of the patients continues to drop. The ASPS reports the average age of patients has dropped from 34 to 17. In 2008, 219,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients 13 to 19 years of age, and almost 39,000 were surgical procedures such as nose reshaping, breast lifts, breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tucks.
More young people are having plastic surgery than ever. In a 2008 study commissioned by the American Society for Aesethic Plastic Surgery, men and women ages 18 to 24 had the highest approval rating for cosmetic surgery.
What used to be reserved for adults and cosmetic purposes, slowly creeped into the world of those under 18. It’s critical that we take extra care with younger patients considering procedures.
All teens still need to undergo a full consultation with a specialist to make sure they are in a good state of physical and mental health before they go under the knife. In some cases, the teen simply isn’t mature enough to handle the potential side effects and risks associated with the surgery, and may not have realistic goals about the outcome.
If you are interested in learning more, schedule a consultation by contacting Anne Carbone at the Robert Zubowski M.D. Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 201-261-7550