57 woman this month | June 2012 | Are parents saving children from a lifetime of humiliation and mockery or are they sending the message that our unique qualities are not things to celebrate, but things that we must change to conform to others? Sometimes, that answer can only be determined by the child herself and how she feels about her nose for instance. The answer lies within how a parent chooses to explain the situation and how they are going to go about resolving it. Often, enlisting the help of a psychiatric specialist can assist a parent in determining what is really in the child’s best interest, but that is impossible to do without the child’s input. A child who is already the brunt of jokes may outwardly despise his “bat ears”, because everyone else does. He was taught to hate them. Regrettably, because children have a habit of being unable to think rationally about a situation, “fixing” the ears may not actually alter how he feels about them. A young child may have a hard time adjusting to her new look. Without rational thinking, she may not grasp that changing an outside body part does not transform who you are on the inside. Changing too much, too early, without the proper counselling, can be a harrowing and disruptive experience. Their reaction is dependent upon their personality and the adults in their life. Plastic surgery for children without severe oddities that cause ridicule or actual disfigurements should only happen extremely rarely. Children who undergo cosmetic surgery for issues like having their father’s eyelids, which displeases a divorced mother, for example, will endure unfathomable emotional ordeal and self esteem issues, purely because of someone else’s hang-ups. Cosmetic surgery for children should only be considered if there is a medical need for it or after a great deal of talking, theorising and emotional support. A parent of a child wanting to have cosmetic surgery will have to struggle with the lesson they may teach their child. There is value in learning to love oneself unconditionally exactly as you are. Although researchers have not concluded that surgery can single-handedly lead to suicide, four epidemiologic studies have found that the risk of suicide among women with breast implants is two to three times higher than among other women. One theory is that some people who get surgery are actually suffering from a psychological disorder known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), in which they falsely believe they are unusually ugly. A study in 2006 found that suicide rates among patients with BDD was 45 times higher than among the general population. More children than ever are undergoing cosmetic surgery for nonmedical purposes. Parents are giving breast implants, liposuction and other nips and tucks as sweet 16 or graduation gifts! For feedback, comments or questions contact Dr Jinan Darwish via email at: [email protected] The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery offers these guidelines for evaluating teenagers who are considering cosmetic plastic surgery: • Physical maturity assessment: Operating on a feature that has not yet fully developed could interfere with its growth, and continued growth could negate the benefits of surgery in later years. • Exploring emotional maturity and expectations: As with any patient, the young person should appreciate the benefits and limitations of the proposed surgery, and have realistic expectations. • Exploring risks and expected recovery times: Teens and their parents should understand the risks of surgery, postoperative restrictions on activity, and typical recovery times. Tips The Cruellest of them All
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