In an age of selfies and constant social media sharing, a growing number of teenagers are undergoing plastic surgery to alter their appearance. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) about 229,000 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients aged 13 to 19 in 2017.  Currently, teenagers account for about four percent of all cosmetic surgery procedures, with the most common procedures among teens being nose reshaping, male breast reduction and ear surgery. Adolescents also account for a small percentage of total nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, such as laser hair removal, skin resurfacing and Botox injections.

“While a rhinoplasty or ear surgery can be performed safely by a board-certified surgeon and are, in many cases, appropriate for an adolescent, other cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction or injectables are typically not recommended for minors for several reasons, including lack of research,” said Dallas board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Rod J. Rohrich. “It’s concerning that there has been a surge in the use of injectables in young patients to achieve augmented cheeks and lips when there is no evidence that these procedures are safe for adolescents.” Read more of this story »