In 2015, more than 226,000 cosmetic surgeries were performed on teenagers eighteen and younger (Zuckerman). The perception of women’s bodies has altered dramatically within the past decade. Young women nowadays feel that they have to conform to these idealistic perceptions, which leads them to consider or go through with cosmetic surgeries. Between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, teens put a lot of emphasis on peers and what they think of them (Singh). Modern social media is a very prominent stressor on teenagers. Cyber-bullying and other effectors can really take a toll on a young teen in the midst of trying to grow up. Teenagers think that they have to look a certain way in order to be accepted by others. They then attempt to fix themselves by going through cosmetic surgery. What they do not realize is that cosmetic surgery is a very serious and life-altering procedure. There are many risks and drawbacks to these surgeries that make them not as worth it as teenagers might think. Cosmetic surgery was once exclusive to older women, but now it is a fad among young teenagers (Singh). Breast augmentations, nose jobs, tummy tucks, and female genital cosmetic surgery are becoming more common amid developing teens. They want to fit in so badly that they feel the need to alter themselves to be someone that they are not. There have been studies showing that the extent to which teens are exposed to unrealistic body pictures lead to unrealistic concepts of what is normal (Giussy et. all). Healthy young men and women are choosing to go through with these surgeries when in reality they do not have to. Cosmetic surgery in teenagers should only be allowed for those who were medically recommended by a physician or by consent of a parent. 

There are many reasons that teenagers get these surgeries. Ranging from serious medical conditions to simply wanting a more defined set of breasts. The issue with cosmetic surgeries arises when teens want to get them recreationally and irrationally. When a fifteen-year-old girl feels that she needs a nose job in order for her to be accepted by her peers is where the line needs to be drawn. Confidence is something that is so valuable to a young teenager and they need to be reminded that they are perfectly normal the way they are. Meaghan Ramsey speaks in her TEDTalk about a YouTube phenomenon where teenagers post a video of themselves asking their viewers if they are ugly (Ramsey). The issue of low self-confidence in teenagers is getting very serious. If a teenager is asking for strangers’ opinions on their appearance then that is a clear indicator that something needs fixing. Social media can be an innocent and fun thing for teenagers to engage in. However, it can also be the source of their insecurities. Nowadays teenagers may have an Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, or Facebook or all four. It is rare to find a teenager without a social media account. Diana Zuckerman quotes: “Cultural phenomena such as surgical makeovers on numerous television programs make it increasingly difficult to agree on what constitutes a "normal" appearance and when the desire to improve one's appearance is questionable or even crosses the line to psychopathology” (Zuckerman). What a teenager sees or watches can leave a lasting impact on their self-image and lead them to make a hasty decision to get cosmetic surgery. 

Social media is at its peak in popularity with teenagers today. They are constantly on their phones figuring out what to post next. Social media can be a fun and harmless thing until things like cyber-bullying begin. There are many aspects of social media that can easily impact a teen’s perception of themselves. Models and celebrities post near-naked “selfies” of their incredibly toned body and beautiful skin. A young teenager, who is in their hormonal peak, sees these pictures and naturally compares themself to that celebrity or model. In a study done by Patrick and Charlotte Markey, they assess the reasons that teenagers would want to get such a serious surgery so young. One of the main effectors of their decision was social media with a correlation of 0.94 (Markey and Markey). Seeing these results would make anyone realize that social media has such a large impact on teenage self-esteem. Another form on virtual media that impacts how teens feel about themselves is pornography. By college, a third of women and about 90 percent of men have viewed pornography (Simmons). Experts say that porn has actually become the main source of sex-ed for most teenagers (Simmons). Pornography is another thing that presents teenagers with yet another reason for them to not feel good enough because they are watching it as if it is how sex is supposed to be, even though that is not the case. Simmons quotes “Between 2014 and 2015, there was an 80 percent increase in the number of girls eighteen and younger receiving genital plastic surgery” (Simmons). Teenage girls should not have to feel the need to get genital plastic surgery in order to feel confident. These procedures do not have proven effectiveness and the risks should always be considered, which they are often not. Labiaplasty, a procedure done to alter the folds of the vagina, can cause loss of sexual sensation, numbness, pain, and scaring (Simmons). Girls are still more focused on sex for being more enjoyable for someone else’s pleasure and not for themselves, what they want, and how they feel (Simmons). When a girl decides to have sex for the first time should be up to her. However, if a young sixteen year-old girl wants genital cosmetic surgery to “improve her sexual abilities”, then there is clearly an inner issue that needs to be considered. Genital cosmetic surgery in a teenage girl is such an intense procedure to have done, especially because it is usually done for sexual reasons. 

Cosmetic surgery in a developing teenager has a drastic impact that not everyone thinks about. These teenagers’ bodies are still developing and surgery may inhibit the essential stages of physical development. In 2015 alone 7,840 young girls underwent breast augmentation surgery with and additional 1,797 teenagers getting breast lifts (Zuckerman). More than physically, cosmetic surgery can have a large impact in a developing teen mentally and emotionally. If a teenager is already psychologically imbalanced, getting surgery is not a totally reliable procedure because its not guaranteed to solve that issue. “Psychological counseling is recommended to inform women that surgery is not a definitive solution to treat psychologically based pain or dysfunction” (Giussy et. al). Also, there is no clear evidence that these surgeries are effective in making one feel better about themselves. Why would a teenager make such an abrupt decision without knowing that it is not guaranteed to make them happier? Most teenagers do not think clearly about how serious these surgeries can impact them negatively because they seem to think they are invincible. Dr. Steven L. Davis says to use a risk-benefit ratio when determining to go through with cosmetic surgery (Hilton). The risk-benefit ratio is a way of figuring out if the pros outweigh the cons of surgery and vise versa (Hilton). There are many risks that can come from cosmetic surgery. Most women who get breast augmentation experience complications within the first three years such as infection and hematomas. In addition, since breast implants last only ten years, a teenager would have to undergo multiple surgeries throughout her lifetime (Zuckerman).  Breast implants can also hinder a woman’s ability to breast feed later in life as well as lead to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Body Dysmorphic Disorder is when, after surgery, patients notice a very slight defect and blow it way out of proportion leading to impairment in functioning (Zuckerman). Aside from physical and emotional risks, there are also serious economic risks to consider before surgery. Cosmetic surgery is rarely covered by insurance, so the costs are very expensive for patients (Zuckerman). These surgeries may not be worth as much as they cost in the end. Many teens, even parents that are allowing surgery for their child, fail to do the extensive research that cosmetic surgery requires and when they realize that they should have, it is too late.

Teenagers should be able to be happy in their own skin and be confident in themselves. Confidence is so important in a growing adolescent. Their self-confidence is what defines them, what they do, and how they act. The ages thirteen through eighteen, when kids are in middle school and high school, are where self-confidence and self-image are most fragile. Middle school and high school can be brutal to a kid’s self-esteem. It is also the time when not being a part of the popular crowd, change in financial situation, and divorce can negatively affect a teenager’s self-esteem (Singh). This is why it is essential to figure out why teenagers want to get cosmetic surgery: to build their low self-esteem or for something more serious? Conforming to a group is what teenagers are the best at, so naturally they are willing to go through drastic measures in order to be included in their desired friend group. Kathy Davis discusses in her book, Reshaping the Female Body, about a conference she attended at the Dutch medical center. She talks about how one of the speakers referred to a fifteen-year-old Moroccan girl who got a nose job because she was being harassed in school for “having a nose like that” (Davis). Davis, being a feminist, was outraged because she believes that girls should be completely comfortable in their own bodies. She quotes, “Women are instructed that their bodies are unacceptable: too fat, too thin, too wrinkled, too old and, now, too ethnic” (Davis). As a matter of fact, she is right. Teenage girls nowadays are presented with these unrealistic body figures and get the idea in their head that they are not good enough. A teen’s perception of their body has everything to do with their inner self-confidence. “Some past research suggests that both American girls’ and women’s perceptions of their bodies is more predictive of their weight concerns and desire to change their bodies than more objective assessment of their body weight” (Markey and Markey). If they look in the mirror and do not like what they see, then nothing and no one will be able to change their mind. 

Many teenagers begin to feel helpless and alone if they are self-conscious or simply not confident in themselves. However, there are many confidence builders that may be able to make a teenager feel better about themselves such as verbal appreciation, healthier living styles, or embracing the best parts of oneself. A teenager being told that they are beautiful, kind, funny, smart, or just a simple “hello” can boost their day immensely. Confidence is something that needs to be developed and nurtured over time. If a teenager (or any person) is not reminded that they matter or that they are incredible the way they are, then they can be lead to self-consciousness. The impact that healthy eating and daily exercise can have on a person’s self-image is astounding. According to Benna Crawford, “Regular exercise makes your heart and bones stronger, lowers your risk for chronic disease right along with your blood pressure, keeps your weight under control and reduces feelings of anxiety and depression” (Crawford). Having a healthy body means having a healthy brain and mentality. Even food can boost they way someone feels about themselves. Carbohydrates make the brain receive more serotonin, which makes you feel more positive, more relaxed, and therefore, more confident (Merryfield). There are many simple and easy ways for teens to stay confident in themselves. 

Cosmetic surgery at such a young age is very serious and should always be treated as such. However, there are some cases where surgery for a teenager is needed in order to function correctly. For example, the issue of Macromastia in teenage girls is the massive enlargement of the female breast disproportionate to the growth of the remainder of the body. This growth dysfunction is and should be treated with reduction mammaplasty (Sharma et. al). Puberty is a very confusing time for a teenager because they have to learn to deal with their new, strange bodies and they may not like what they see. Peer pressure, self-image, and a desire to fit into the social norms of their environment can psychologically impact a young teenager. Macromastia can lead teenage girls to clinical depression and social isolation (Sharma et. al). As a teenage girl, it is hard to get through life alone. Depression and social isolation would make a girl feel alone in the world and that there is no hope for her. Reduction mammaplasty surgery would be able to make a girl feel confident in herself again and maybe she would be able to thrive in her new life. Ideal bodily expectations can be very intimidating and hard to achieve at such a young age. If some part of a teen’s body were so prominent that it impacted daily life activities, surgery would help that issue immensely (Coila). For instance, incredible large breasts can cause serious back problems for a woman. These size breasts on a teenager would make daily life a struggle and therefore surgery would be necessary. Even with all of these different possibilities, cosmetic surgery in teenagers is still something that needs to be seriously considered and looked over. Teenagers always make careless decisions without thinking, so it is essential that they have a medical recommendation or actual parental consent in order for them to go through with this medical procedure.

Cosmetic surgery in teenagers has many different opinions regarding if a person so young should have the ability to receive it. The developmental issues these surgeries cause, the economic stress, and the fact that they are not one hundred percent guaranteed to work should make teenagers (or at least their parents) wearier of the situation. Most to all teenagers have at least some sort of self-confidence problem. Whether it is how they look on the outside or how they feel on the inside, teenagers struggle with how to fit in. However, the answer to these issues is not to go under the knife. A build-up of confidence over time can really set a person up for a life of happiness and pleasure. When it comes down to it, most teenagers get cosmetic surgery because they wish to blend in or they do not like how they look. It is understandable that teenagers are self-conscious. However, it is not understandable or acceptable for a teen as young as thirteen to be getting surgery for what they think will “cure” their insecurities. Each person was individually blessed with their bodies and they should appreciate the great parts about themselves. For a teenage girl, it may be difficult to accept that they are not the Homecoming or Prom Queen. But they have to realize that they have qualities about themselves that those other girls would kill to have. If teenagers spend all of their time comparing themselves to whoever they wish to be or to what is naturally unobtainable, they will spend the rest of their life regretting it. Cosmetic surgery is the easy way out. Embracing the best qualities and loving oneself is the best way to go through life and to be unique.   
