Bullying in adolescence leads to increase in surgeries at younger ages
2023-09-19
MIAMI – September 18, 2023 – There is no doubt that the myth that a plastic or cosmetic surgeon is a must-go for patients with certain physical, economic and, of course, age-related conditions is rapidly being shattered. Young people like the Kendall sisters or Kylie Jenner have shown that even before leaving their second decade they were already beneficiaries of the miracles of science, showing faces or bodies that are the subject of admiration of many who follow them. In fact, with the time of returning to the classroom, many young people who have been victims of bullying because of their physical characteristics have seen favorable changes in their outlook on life and in their interactions with society. Cosmetic or plastic procedures are a solution to the defect that made them the target of bullying. But is this the only solution to change the reality of physical and mental training people face in today’s world?
Dr. Cesar Velilla, one of the most renowned cosmetic surgeons in the United States and commonly known by patients and colleagues as Doctor Lipo @doctorlipo, talks to us about a topic that can be the subject of so much controversy: “In general terms, the age at which a patient begins to perform an aesthetic procedure is closely related to physical and mental development. Until a patient has achieved full physical and mental development, he or she is not a candidate for plastic and aesthetic surgery procedures. As a minimum rule one can start after the age of 16 years depending on the procedure and the functional development of the patient. In other words, the patient has to be able to undergo this surgical procedure and the conditions after surgery. has to complete all its hormonal development in both men and women and also correct mental development,” said the Colombian-born doctor.
What are these accepted cosmetic surgeries for teens?,
Gynecomastia. Remove excess fat from men’s chest.
Liposuction. Remove localized fat in areas of the body with parental consent (emphasizing again that psychological and hormonal examination correctly approves this surgical procedure).
nose surgery. It is recommended after the age of 18 as the nasal cartilage can continue to grow till that age so there is no point in surgery before that.
breast augmentation. In the United States the patient must be 21 years of age to have these types of procedures performed with silicone.
In case of using saline solution, the age of the patient may be more than 18 years., In view of this, doctors emphasize that the contraindications to plastic surgery in adolescents, in addition to taking into account pre-existing health conditions at any age, are the physical and/or mental maturity for this type of surgery. It doesn’t have to happen.
Dr. Velila continued to touch on the topic of fashion in plastic surgery, which also became part of the requests of fifteen-year-olds: “When breast enlargement surgery became fashionable as a gift for 15-year-olds, I always What is not recommended is that it is very young in age. If the case is extreme, I would only recommend good clinical and psychological evaluation after 16, evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Could go,” concluded the medical director of Evolution MD.
But according to Dr. Velila, not all cosmetic procedures are negative if applied at a young age, explaining:
What is Baby Botox?
“This is a preventative procedure for expression lines on the forehead, between the eyebrows and at the corners of the eyes or commonly called ‘chicken feet’… Baby Botox is used before these expression lines appear and It is completely recommended because here we do something more preventive than curative. People over the age of twenty can do these procedures and thus do not require very high doses when the muscles are relaxed. Because when there are already very marked expression lines. The frequency of these sessions is every year or every two years, unlike those who already have these expression lines, who must do it every three or four months ,” the expert concluded.
The earlier the treatment is done, the aging process is slowed and not only with Baby Botox but also with radiofrequency or special lasers that produce collagen. The use of protective creams containing hyaluronic acid, vitamins or sunscreens also slows aging. Vitamin serums and hormone replacement delay natural aging and are recommended from the age of 30, as patients are already candidates for these.
An aesthetic procedure helps to overcome self-esteem problems because if there are young people who are victims of bullying because of defects in the shape of the nose, ears or breasts, for example, if this happens in adolescence, Not only will this affect their self-confidence and abilities, interpersonal relationships, surgery undoubtedly helps a lot in overcoming these problems. These teenagers should also be supported by mental health experts because surgery is not the only help… They should work on their self-esteem because if they are not in tune with one another, it can cause the opposite effect and See from a first solution with an aesthetic procedure, that through these any other situation in their life is resolved and they begin to have dysmorphic disorders, which means that they have to undergo other surgeries to be accepted by society. Is required. That is why aesthetic procedures in adolescents are very complex as they must be accompanied not only by interdisciplinary support between cosmetic and plastic surgeons but also with the support of psychologists and psychiatrists.
Dr. Cesar Velila is known as Dr. Lipo.
All rights reserved © La Capital