Elective Cosmetic Surgery and Physical Body Defects - Article Example

Name: Subject & Code: Tutor: Date: Should Minors be allowed to have Elective Cosmetics Surgery? Introduction Elective plastic surgery, unlike urgent or emergency surgery, is urgent or vital by nature since it does not entail medical emergency. Rather, it is mostly planned in advance to improve one’s beauty or physical appearance. Elective plastic surgery among minors, or individuals under the age of 18, is a long-practice procedure since the 1970s. Traditionally, rhinoplasty was a universal plastic surgical procedure that performed to the minors in the 1970s. The procedure substantially gained popularity through the 1980s and 1990s (Azizzadeh 1). The rise in the number of teenagers looking to have elective plastic surgery has increased over the years. In the United States for instance, between 1995 and 2010, the number of individuals aged 13 to 19 years who had elective surgery had increased from around 14,000 to 219,000 each year (Crezo 1; Collins 6). Most of these surgeries are rhinoplasty, octoplasty (ear-pinning), asymmetry reduction and correction, breast enlargement and liposuction. This essay examines whether minors should be allowed to have elective cosmetics surgery. Opposition Elective cosmetic surgery, like any other surgery, has several critical risks that justify why minor should not be allowed to have them. They can lead to complications that vary from unnatural and unpleasant final results or even death and severe permanent scarring. While studies have examined that many people assume that elective cosmetics surgery may not be as serious as urgent surgeries, they present possibility of severe complications (Azizzadeh 1). Many physical defects may result from the cosmetics surgery. Studies have showed that each cosmetics surgery has underlying risks, whether minor or permanent. Some researchers have also pointed concerns on plastic surgery among the teenagers, since their bodies still undergo maturing (Heisler 1). In the first three months after the surgery, the body may be prone to infections, where the teenagers may feel itchiness or because of improper wound care. Additionally, cases where teenagers have been reported to have died from liposuction after damaged veins when the physicians tie the bandage so tightly, as a result cutting off blood circulations, have also been reported. Additionally, instead of improving the teenagers’ looks, the surgery may end up worsening their physical appearances. For instance, it could lead to scarring, which is in most surgeries not predictable. The surgery may also result to numbness due to nerve damage. This may happen when nerves are severed or damaged during the surgery. For instance, if it is facial nerve, the outcome may be incapacity to make facial expression (Heisler 1). These imply that elective cosmetics surgery is likely to have negative effects on the teenagers, and because of this concern, they should not be allowed to have elective cosmetics surgery. Severe health risks also justify why minors should not have cosmetics surgery. According to Aston et al. (1), there is always the likelihood of health risks arising because of the anaesthesia used in the surgery. Indeed, many of these elective cosmetics surgeries are performed in surgery centres. While cosmetics surgery is real surgery with tremendous benefits, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has pointed out that the surgery has many underlying risks (Crezo 6). In 2008, a law court in Pennsylvania awarded a family $20 million after their 18-year old daughter (Stephanie Kuleba) died after liposuction. Stephanie had also suffered from malignant hyperthermia, which was a reaction to anesthesia, while undergoing cosmetics surgery on her breasts (Crezo 6). Cosmetics surgery can cause depression among the teenagers. Teenagers who are not satisfied with the results of the cosmetic surgery may feel depressed, resulting to suicidal thoughts. Others may also want to have another cosmetic surgery to correct the once they consider not successful (Aston et al. 1). Additionally, the teenagers may have to overcome trauma once they have had cosmetics surgery that has turned out unsuccessful. Some commentators have also argued that cosmetics surgery may be addictive to the teenagers, particularly when the outcome of the surgery is successful (Aston et al. 1). The cost of cosmetics surgery is rather high. According to Loftus (1), the cost of having a cheek implant is between $ $3000 and $4500 in the United States. For popular surgeries such as breast implants, liposuction and rhinoplasty may cost between $2500 and $5000 (Loftus 1). Given the high costs, most teenagers may not meet the expense of cosmetics surgery. This may trigger them to demand for money from the parents or engage in part-time work. Additionally, since insurance does not cover the cost of most cosmetics surgeries, when the outcomes are disastrous, the patients will have to spend more to correct the defects. Cosmetics surgery among teenagers is mostly encouraged by peer pressure. It can further be argued that while more and more teenagers are taking to cosmetics surgery, they are mostly motivated by peer pressure rather than any likely benefit they can perceive from it or the risks involved. According to Crezo (6), a majority of teenagers who make decisions to undergo cosmetics surgery do not consider the health risks associated with the surgical procedure. Rather, they view cosmetics surgery as a means of gaining acceptance from their peers or friends. Accordingly, teenagers may want what their friends have while hoping to feel more comfortable without weighing the risks associated with the surgery (Zuckerman 1; Barry 1). Based on the above analysis, it is clear that minors should not be allowed to have elective cosmetics surgery because of the underlying risks associated with the procedure. This forms the basis of this paper. While elective cosmetic surgery can be criticised for the risks associated with them, they do present some advantages to the teenagers. These may, to some extent, justify why minors should be allowed to have them (Barry 1). Firstly, cosmetics surgery can increase a teenager’s self-esteem and self-consciousness. Indeed, several researches that examined teenager’s attitudes towards cosmetics surgery revealed that they consider it as capable of enabling them to improve their self-confidence. According to Collins (1), teenagers normally resort to having plastic surgery when looking to improve their looks and self-confidence. Hartmann (1-4) argued that cosmetics surgery is indeed beneficial to the teenagers since it helps them to restore their self-esteem, as they may often be teased for certain body abnormalities such as ‘crooked nose’ and ‘big ears.’ Citing a recent survey, Hartmann (1-4) argued that children tend to idolise images of celebrities even as they think that something is wrong with the way they look like naturally. This may lower their self-confidence, which may be boosted through cosmetics surgery. Indeed, the logic of improving the children’s self-esteem or self-confidence holds. For instance, physicians or parents who allow the children to undergo cosmetics surgery may be driven by the desire to boost their self-esteem. Hartmann (1-4) pointed out that some parents and doctors have even tried to justify cosmetics surgery by arguing that it can help check against unhealthy behaviours such as self-mutilation, bullying and eating disorders. The idea of improving self-esteem has been increasing used to justify why minor are allowed to have elective cosmetics surgery. Studies have established that plastic surgery can improve body-image satisfaction of teenagers who have inherited body defects or have big hips and birth marks (Zukerman and Abraham 318-324). According to Zuckerman (1), breast implants tend to increase self-confidence of young women who feel depressed due to their natural appearance. Elective cosmetics surgery corrects physical body defects. Teenagers with natural birth defects, including palates, large breasts and cleft lips may not lead normal lives -- such as moving around or eating normally -- like other normal kids. Additionally, teenagers who have experience severe burns or accidents that have ruined their body and facial appearance may face similar difficulties (Ouellette 137-142). At this juncture, plastic surgery can be suitable for these teenagers in helping them to lead normal lives. Conclusion In the end, it is critical to observe that to a greater extent, cosmetics surgeries have many underling risks. Therefore, minors should not have elective cosmetics surgery. There are several reasons why minors should not have elective cosmetics surgery. Firstly, many physical defects may result from the cosmetics surgery. Next, severe health risks also justify why minors should not have cosmetics surgery. Additionally, instead of improving the teenagers’ looks, the surgery may end up worsening their physical appearances. Cosmetics surgery can also cause depression among the teenagers. The cost of cosmetics surgery is rather high, which may be burdensome to the parents. Further, cosmetics surgery among teenagers is mostly encouraged by peer pressure. Indeed, current researches indicate that most plastic surgeons view cosmetics surgery as a serious issue due to concerns of parental involvement and informed consent before it is performed on teenagers. Indeed, since minors need parental involvement and consent, postoperative and preoperative procedures are viewed to be different for the adults and the teenagers. The minimal benefits of having cosmetics surgery include: cosmetics surgery can increase a teenager’s self-esteem and self-consciousness. It can also improve body-image satisfaction of teenagers who have inherited body defects or have big hips and birth marks. Elective cosmetics surgery also corrects physical body defects. Compared to the severe consequences, including death, the three benefits do not justify why minors should be allowed to have elective cosmetics surgery. Works Cited Aston, Sherrell, Robert Findling and Laurie Scudder. "Teens and Elective Cosmetic Surgery." MedScape Multispeciality. 23 Feb 2012. 25 July 2014, Azizzadeh, Babak. “Elective Aesthetic Surgery in Teens.” Medscape Multispeciality, 2010. Barry, Aoife. "Concern over female teens getting genital cosmetic surgery." The Journal I.E., 2013. Collins, Lois. Teens turn to plastic surgery; experts tackle the when and why." Deseret News 12 March 2013. 25 July 2014, Crezo, Adrienne. "The Teenage Plastic Surgery Boom." Neorama, 2011. 25 July 2014, Hartmann, Margaret. "Should Teens Get Plastic Surgery To Boost Their Self-Esteem?" Jezebel, 15 Jan 2014. 25 July 2014, Heisler, Jennifer. "What Are The Risks of Plastic Surgery: Cosmetic Surgery Complications", 19 May 2014. 25 July 2014, Laftus. Cost of Plastic Surgery in the U.S. InfoPlasticSurgery, 2014. 25 July 2014, Ouellette, Alicia. “Body Modification and Adolescent Decision Making: Proceed with Caution.” J. Health Care L. & Pol'y 15.129 (2012): 130-156 Zuckerman, Diana. "Teenagers and Cosmetic Surgery." American Medical Association 7.3 (2005) Zuckerman, Diana & Abraham, Anisha."Teenagers and Cosmetic Surgery: Focus on Breast Augmentation and Liposuction." Journal of Adolescent Health 43.4 (2008): 318-324 Read More