Teenage Breast Augmentation Increasing
I came across an article at KATV.com, an Arkansas media affiliate, which discussed the recent increase in breast augmentation procedures among teenages across the US. Their site states “The number of teen breast implant surgeries nationwide has tripled in the past decade and doctors say the trend is evident right here in Arkansas. It may seem like some of your teen’s favorite actresses and musicians. Even idols are suddenly bigger than ever before.”
Breast implants are common place in today’s landscape. They are accepted by society and the costs have reached an attainable level for almost all consumers.
The question this raises is an ethical one. Is it appropritate for a teenager to have a breast augmentation procedure? For that matter, it is appropriate for a teenager to have any cosmetic surgery procedure?
On the KATV site they go on to say “This onetime patient who asked not to be identified had the surgery 5 years ago at age 19. But she says it was not because of peer pressure or magazine covers. “
A 19 year old person is a legal adult. If they choose to have plastic surgery that is their perogative. Any child under 18 years of age is not an adult and therefore the case would need to be treated delicately and ethically.
Later in the KATV article it says “Most of those girls will come in about 16 or 17 and we will go ahead and put one breast implant in to even them out or…we’ll put one size in one side and one in the other so they’ll be even.”
This doesn’t seem as much like an augmentation procedure as a corrective procedure. That said, the mere age of the patient means the situation should be dealt with in a cautious manner. The body may not have completely developed and the person is not fully mature.
