If you have a child who is unhappy with his or her appearance, he or she might have asked you to pay for cosmetic surgery. It is likely difficult for you to see your child distraught over the fact that he or she does not look the way that he or she likes. However, cosmetic surgery is not right for every teenager. Here are some factors that you should consider before allowing your child to get cosmetic surgery.
1. Does your child's appearance negatively affect his or her ability to function?
This is the first question that you need to ask yourself because if you answer no, then your child should not get the surgery. If your child's appearance or body is making it hard for him or her to function, then cosmetic surgery might be a necessity. A girl who went through puberty and ended up with FF sized breasts might have back pain already and not be able to exercise as easily or do the things that she needs to do. A boy who has a huge nose might be bullied to the point where he is unable to go to school. Everyone is different with regards to their ability to deal with light teasing and teenagers being mean to them. However, if your child's grades are dropping or he or she does not have the full mobility that he or she needs to be a normal teenager, cosmetic surgery should be considered.
2. Is your child done with puberty?
If your child is going through puberty still and wants to have cosmetic surgery done on a part of his or her body that could possibly still be developing, then you should deny their request. If a girl is still going through puberty and wants breast augmentation, there is a good chance that her body will change again and potentially undo the work that you have paid for. This will be frustrating for both you and your child. Before pursuing cosmetic surgery, make sure that you talk to your child's doctor to figure out if it would be a good idea and if he or she is reasonably done with body changes.
If your child is getting something changed, like his or her nose, that is not affected by puberty, then you are likely safe to make the change.
For more information, talk to a doctor like John Gatti MD that specializes in cosmetic surgery for teenagers.
Share14 July 2016
My name is Katie Langer. For a long time, I was bed ridden and I felt like I had no control over my life. I simply went along with what was instructed by my doctor and I didn't ask questions. It wasn't that my doctor wasn't willing to work with me, but I preferred to simply not think about the illness I was suffering from. I didn't realize that some of the symptoms I was suffering from were side effects of my medication and were not normal. After communicating more with my doctor, I was able to alleviate my symptoms. Since then, I've taken an interest in patient-doctor relationships and how to improve them.
