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Teen surgery proportion stays constant |
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Monday, 02 October 2006 |
Despite the impression generated by some politicians issuing loud and damning condemnations, the proportion of aesthetic or cosmetic procedures performed on teenagers under 18 remained constant last year, new figures show.
The figures, released by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery show that while the total number of procedures performed continues to rise, the proportion of people aged 18 and younger was relatively constant, at about 175,000 procedures, or 1.5% of the total. Of the procedures conducted on teenagers, the most popular were nonsurgical procedures such as laser hair removal and microdermabrasion. The most frequently performed surgical procedures for teenagers in 2005 were rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), breast reduction and asymmetry correction, gynecomastia, chin augmentation and liposuction.
Medical experts tend to be of the opinion that for teenage patients that have been selected appropriately, cosmetic surgery can have a positive impact on physical and emotional development. Doctors treating teenagers are expected to follow strict guidelines in assessing potential surgical candidates in this age group to ascertain the physical maturity and emotional maturity of the person.
The most popular procedures for patients of 18 and below were:
- Rhinoplasty: Nose reshaping is the most requested aesthetic surgical procedure by teens. It can be performed when the nose has completed 90 percent of its growth, which can occur as early as age 13 or 14 in girls and 15 or 16 in boys.
- Breast reduction: Breast reduction is frequently performed on girls with overly large breasts that may cause back and shoulder pain, as well as restrict physical activity. Breast reduction usually is delayed until the breasts have reached full development.
- Correction of breast asymmetry: Surgery can be performed when one breast significantly differs from the other either in size or shape. Except in cases of asymmetry and post trauma reconstruction, federal regulations prohibit breast implants for those under 18.
- Treatment of Gynecomastia: In some teenage boys, excessive breast development (gynecomastia) can become a significant psychosocial problem. Excess tissue can be removed to achieve a more masculine body contour.
- Chin augmentation: Chin augmentation often is performed in conjunction with rhinoplasty to achieve facial balance.
- Lipoplasty (liposuction): Lipoplasty may be appropriate for a select number of teenagers of normal weight with localized fat deposits when diet and exercise fail to achieve results. Stubborn fat deposits can be a hereditary condition.
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