Cosmetic Surgery + Young Adults Don't Mix

We often tell young children to be themselves. We try to instill confidence in them by telling them they are beautiful, talented, and absolutely wonderful. But more and more, we seem to flip the script once they enter adolescence. Their biggest entertainment idols encourage them to work hard and follow their dreams. Their pristine faces pumped with botox advise youth not to let Hollywood change them or to cave in to peer pressure. Their rhinoplastied noses and enhanced breasts claim to want to be good role models for those that look up to them. Is it just me or is there something mismatching with this picture?

According to a new survey featured in PR NewsWire, most Americans (71 percent) said their attitude toward cosmetic surgery had not changed in the last five years, though 19% said it was 'more favorable'. And it’s not only A-list celebrities that one can find so readily available to provide examples of cosmetic surgery. Turn to the Real Housewives of Orange County and you see that one housewife, Alexis, purchased face-lift procedures for her mother after the success she has had with cosmetic surgery. Now, I have to confess this didn’t really affect me as much as the next case.

Housewife Lynne undergoes a face-lift and treats her teenaged daughter to a nose job as well. This is where things get a bit dicey for me. It reminds me of a conversation I had with a mom a few years ago. She was gushing about how she was going to purchase a nose job for her daughter. She smiled as she explained how it would give her daughter so much more confidence. Her daughter was only 15 at the time. Fifteen!?! What happened to positive affirmation when kids do something good? Encouraging them to work hard and then putting them on a pedestal when that happens? Isn’t that a better, cheaper, less psychologically damaging way to build confidence? Or it that just too idealistic?

Perhaps you have heard about Heidi Montag, the 23-year old reality star who underwent 10 procedures in 1 day. She claimed that it was necessary for her to stay competitive in her industry. She was releasing a new album and starting her pop star career. On top of the surgeries she allegedly shelled out 2 million to produce her album. When it dropped, it flopped, selling less than 1000 copies. In this case, no amount of cosmetic enhancements could overshadow musical talent.

I suppose that even though there will be a big future PR push for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery due to decreased numbers of cosmetic procedures during this economic downtown, there is a silver lining. The group’s statistics show a decrease in teens undergoing cosmetic surgery. For the most part, as people age, I don’t see anything wrong with adults making adult decisions about their appearances. However, I do feel there needs to be a better message that’s sent out to adolescents and young adults, especially young teens. This age group changes their minds on daily basis. Who’s to say the nose they hate one day they’ll love the next? I can both smile and frown on this issue, and luckily you can tell the difference by my age lines.

Other Source/Related Articles

Robert De Niro urges actors to snub surgery, SFGate

Fewer Patients Undergo Knife For Beauty, WSJ

Plastic Surgery, Wikipedia

"Healthcare" Dilemma? Plastic Surgeons Seek a PR Facelift, Huffington Post