Most of the time, when people think of plastic surgery, they imagine middle-aged women who receive liposuction, breast lifts, or BOTOX® in order to appear younger. However, people younger and younger are receiving plastic and cosmetic surgery. At what age is it appropriate and acceptable for women to receive plastic surgery? In a previous blog, we discussed the difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery. Because plastic surgery is a medical-based procedure, it’s normal for younger women to receive this type of procedure if it is needed to improve their quality of life. But at what age is cosmetic surgery appropriate? In today’s post, we will discuss the right age to start thinking about cosmetic surgery to help you understand if it is the right option for you.
At The Vu Center in Portland, we make it our mission to help our patients feel happy and confident in their bodies. We offer a wide variety of plastic and cosmetic surgery options for both men and women. We will work with you to help you choose the options that will provide you with the best results for your desired outcome. Whether you want to improve the size and appearance of your breasts, fix old injuries, or look younger, we are here to help. Learn more about our Portland plastic surgery clinic and our board-certified doctors and contact The Vu Center to schedule a consultation today!
Why Teens Desire Plastic Surgery
The desire to receive plastic surgery is most common in teens between the ages of 13 and 19. When you first hear of a young adolescent wanting to receive plastic surgery, you have to wonder why. More often than not, teens want to receive cosmetic surgery because they have a desire to blend in with the rest of their peers. For this reason, they will try to fix characteristics that make them stand out, such as a crooked nose, overly large breasts, and acne scars. This desire to blend in is different than what you see in adults, who most of the time receive plastic surgery to make them stand out and look different from others.
Considerations for Teens Who Desire Plastic Surgery
When a teen desires plastic surgery, the request is not automatically granted. There are a few things that the surgeon will need to take into consideration, as they would with any other patient. For example, the teen will need to exhibit personal growth and maturity — a teen cannot simply walk into a plastic surgeon’s office and demand a complex procedure because they feel awkward. It’s important to remember that plastic surgery is a surgical procedure and the results are permanent. Not to mention, in order to perform the procedure, the surgeon will need parental consent for children who are under the age of 18.
With all of that being said, there are certain factors that a surgeon may look for in teens who are considering a plastic surgery procedure. Some of these characteristics include:
- Maturity: The teen must understand and be able to cope with the fact that the results of their procedure will not be immediate. They understand that the healing process takes time and that their procedure will most likely look worse before it gets better.
- Initiate the Desire: Plastic surgery is not something that you decide you need on a whim. There are many pros and cons associated with plastic surgery — after all, it’s a surgical procedure. One thing that doctors will look for is a teen that initiates the desire and takes the time to consider all of the options.
- Realistic Goals: Surgeons will also look for teens that understand the risks and realize that plastic surgery is not the answer to their problems. The teen must have realistic goals and expectations for once the surgery is complete.
Popular Types of Plastic Surgery for Teens
As we mentioned earlier, most teens want plastic surgery so that they will fit in better with their peers. More often than not, they will choose cosmetic procedures that will fix certain characteristics they don’t like or make them stand out. These common types of procedures include:
- Breast reduction – a procedure used to reduce the size of overly large breasts.
- Acne and acne scar treatment – A smoothing or refinishing treatment is used to improve the appearance of scars caused by acne.
- Correction of breast asymmetry – a combination of a breast reduction and/or a breast augmentation to correct breasts that are two different sizes.
- Breast augmentation – a procedure that improves the shape and size of a woman’s breasts.
- Male breast reduction – a procedure that corrects large breasts in men.
- Otoplasty – a procedure in which the ears are pinned back to fix a protruding appearance.
Each type of procedure comes with its own risks and benefits, as well as required recovery time. Before your teen decides on their procedure, it’s important that they schedule a consultation and speak to a doctor in order to fully understand what their desired plastic or cosmetic surgery procedure entails.
Need to Schedule a Consultation?
There are many reasons why teens may decide that plastic or cosmetic surgery is their best option, and at The Vu Center in Portland, we make it our mission to provide you with the assistance you need to look and feel your very best. If you have any questions or you want to learn more about the procedures that we offer, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
We look forward to seeing you!