Teens and Cosmetic Surgery

I recently read an article about teens getting cosmetic surgery as a graduation gift.  It also discussed the philosophy of teens having surgery.  Before your decide whether your teen should consider cosmetic surgery, research together the options and whether cosmetic surgery is actually an option for your teen.  Is there an underlying issue that is not being considered,  or an issue of low selfsteem?  Is your teen having difficulty fitting in and  cosmetic surgery is the solution?

According to the  American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) there are different  reasons teens give for having plastic surgery and the reasons adults do: Teens view plastic surgery as a way to fit in and look acceptable to friends and peers. Adults, on the other hand, frequently see plastic surgery as a way to stand out from the crowd.

Although some cosmetic surgery is often times necessary, teen cosmetic surgery and breast implants should be taken seriously  and considered only when the patient is  fully informed of the risks involved with the procedure.

I agree with the point made in the article that this type of surgery should not be linked to any graduation and that the student be rewarded in ways that relate to their intelligence, achievement, etc.  I also agree that young people should be evaluated carefully about their reasons for wanting surgery.

Negative Impacts on Aging

The following are examples of what can accelerate the aging process.  They are significant, but not all inclusive:

• genetics
• lack of exercise and lack of sleep
• smoking
• drinking alcohol
• overeating/eating foods not good for your health
• stresses at work or in your personal life
• ignoring signs of health problems like a heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol

Most of these have been reported on in the media.  There are self help articles and books that purport to help you avoid or change your behavior.

Aren’t the people who have good genes and have avoided many of the pitfalls that contribute to aging lucky?  I have six siblings and only one of the seven (not me) falls into the “lucky” category.

Thursday, June 29th, 2006