The teenage years are tough, especially on girls who want to look good and be popular. Living in Miami, South Florida, where such an importance is placed on beauty, can make it even harder for them to fit in. So your teenage daughter has approached you about breast implants. What do you do?
First, don’t freak out. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), breast augmentation procedures rank in the top five cosmetic procedures for young women. It’s important to note, this statistic only reflects 18 to 19 year olds since the FDA doesn’t allow saline implants for women under age 18.
Talk to your daughter. Make sure she’s considering it for the right reasons, and doesn’t have body image problems that cosmetic surgery will not fix. Make sure her goals are realistic, and that she has a professional consultation with a surgeon. You also want to make sure your teen has the maturity to make a decision that carries a potentially life lasting impact. With teens, low self-esteem about their bodies usually goes away as they grow and become more confident. Keep in mind, their bodies are still changing so things may improve on their own, or worse, the cosmetic tweaks may not look as good once they hit maturity.
After discussing these issues with her, if your teen still insists she wants a breast augmentation, or any type of cosmetic surgery, schedule a free consultation with a board certified surgeon so you can go over the procedure, benefits and risks together.