Dangers of Cosmetic Surgery

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These days, turning on the television it is easy to see the impact cosmetic surgery has had on the United States. Programs featuring some type of extreme plastic surgery can be found on multiple channels, and the mass media outlet has been partially attributed with the surge in cosmetic surgery procedures in recent years. While television has the ability to reach outlets that other forms of media cannot, some experts are concerned with the way cosmetic surgery is being presented and that the dangers of cosmetic surgery are being minimized.

In 2003, nearly 7.2 million women had cosmetic procedures, a 16 percent increase from 2002, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Men had nearly 1.1 million procedures, a 31 percent increase from 2002. For both genders, liposuction was the number one surgery, with breast augmentation following for women.

Experts are not only concerned with the high number of procedures being widely performed because of its ability to make the dangers of cosmetic surgery seem secondary, but they are concerned with the increase in women ages 18 and younger undergoing cosmetic surgery. In 2003, 223,594 total cosmetic procedures were performed on the 18 and younger age group, which is a small percentage of the total but a 48 percent increase in that age group from 2002.

Although some popular, top surgeries performed on the 18 and younger age group are considered a beneficial cosmetic procedure for psychological reasons, it is the number of breast implants that alarm many who question if the dangers of cosmetic surgery are being absorbed by a patient that young. Any patient choosing to undergo cosmetic surgery must understand both the benefits and the dangers of cosmetic surgery, but for people that young, the depth of life experience may not allow the patient to fully understand risks of long-term complications.

ASAPS numbers indicate 11,326 breast augmentations were performed on women 18 years and younger in 2003, a three-fold increase from 2002. Undergoing a procedure like breast augmentation at such a young age, the dangers of cosmetic surgery do not only lie in the medical risks involved, but also with the way the young woman's body will continue to change in the future. Many of the young patients are not done growing, and putting on even a little weight can affect the size of their breasts. The dangers of cosmetic surgery with this group of patients is that in a couple years the young patient may be dissatisfied with her physical appearance after her body has fully matured.

Other experts are also worried by the implications of the significant increase in young cosmetic surgery patients. With the dangers of cosmetic surgery aside, experts are worried about the way teenagers are viewing their bodies. The introduction of cosmetic surgery has provided many patients with beneficial results, but being surrounded by images of unnatural bodies in the media that have been through digital alteration and special lighting, some cosmetic surgeons are being extra cautious of performing procedures on young patients that have formed unhealthy bodily images.

All patients must be screened prior to determining if a procedure is right for them and that the dangers of cosmetic surgery do not outweigh the benefits. In addition, patients must be evaluated to make sure they have a realistic expectation of what they can achieve through surgery.



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