Risks!

Many teenagers are willing to turn their cheek to the harmful side-effects of cosmetic plastic surgery and believe only what they see, cosmetic plastic surgery "miracles." Plastic surgery has increased risks for teens because their bodies are still growing and developing. Surgeons are not always certain how an operation will affect them later in life. The cosmetic changes teens do might distort them as they age.

-There are many risks that are common in most, if not all, procedures. These include blood clots, brain damage, heart attack, Malignant Hyperthermia, nerve damage, stroke, temporary paralysis, the collection of blood beneath close incisions (which could lead to an infection), and, occasionally, fatality.
-With Liposuction, the primary risks include infection, damage to skin, nerves, or vital organs, fat or blood clots (that can migrate to the lungs, leading to death), and excessive fluid loss that can lead to shock or death.

Although the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (the ASPS) does have some requirements, there are not enough to prevent teenagers from seeking out plastic surgeries that could be very harmful, and possibly fatal.

For instance, an eighteen year old girl in Florida had a breast augmentation in an outpatient clinic in Boca Raton, Florida. Although she was well aware of these risks, her body had a rare, but fatal, reaction to the anesthesia and went into Malignant Hyperthermia. She passed away shortly after her body went into shock. These risks are all very real, very serious and should be taken into very careful consideration by the ASPS in order to regulate stricter laws and requirements for teenage clients seeking plastic surgery.

Although most teenagers are aware of the risks, some still choose to go through with the plastic surgery before even considering other alternatives that could actually improve the root of the problem, a low self-confidence, rather than simply covering it up by improving a teen clients’ physical attribute.

Now that you are aware of some of the most common risks, here are some things to think about:
-How does this information affect your perception of cosmetic plastic surgery in teenagers? Do you still support it? Should there be stricter regulations?
-If you are a teenagers reading this, would you ever consider undergoing plastic surgery?
-Some parents actually want their children to undergo cosmetic procedures so that their self-confidence will not be damaged... If you are a parent reading this, would you want your child to face these potential threats in order to have a better self-esteem?

Citations:
Bionic Women: How Cosmetic Surgery is Changing the Modern Female. - Laura B. Thiedman
"Plastic Surgery" - TeensHealth from Nemours. Edited by Larissa Hirsch, M.D.
"Teenage cosmetic surgery is on the rise and it's not pretty" - Anna Posner
"Teenagers and Cosmetic Surgery: Focus on Breast Augmentation and Liposuction" - Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D and Anisha Abraham, M.D., M.P.H.