Along with the growing number of Americans seeking cosmetic enhancement procedures, the number of young people undergoing plastic surgery is also increasing. College junior Alexandra Sarpoolaki decided to undergo reconstructive nose surgery, or rhinoplasty, after many years of being unhappy with her appearance.
“I never seriously thought about my nose until college. Being half-Persian and half-Greek, everyone has a big nose.”
According to Dr. John Poser, a Florida board certified plastic surgeon, Sarpoolaki is not the only young person to show interest in cosmetic surgery. Dr. Poser claims that approximately 30 to 40 percent of his patients are college-aged students that are using their student loan money and credit cards to finance the often-exorbitant cost of plastic surgery.
The number one procedure sought by these young patients is reportedly breast augmentation, which typically costs more than $4000. This procedure is followed by rhinoplasty surgery to reshape the nose.
“They’ll use loans and max out their credit cards,” Poser comments.
However, not all of these youthful patrons are footing the bill for these procedures. Poser explains that plastic surgery procedures, particularly in places like Florida and California, are growing increasingly popular as graduation and other major gifts.
“Over the last 10 years, parents have been more liberal,” he said. “Instead of buying a car, they’ll buy a nose job.”
There are issues that plastic surgeons must be wary of when considering major surgery on youth. It is important to make sure that all plastic surgery patients, particularly the young, have realistic expectations for the results.
“You have to look at their motivation,” comments plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Seagle, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at University of Florida College of Medicine. Seagle adds that those seeking plastic surgery to impress others, or who seem to be relentlessly unhappy with their looks, are usually not healthy contenders for plastic surgery.
“Those are the biggest tip-offs,” Seagle said.
While Sarpoolaki recognizes the growing trend among youth who desire to be thinner, sexier and more perfect beings, she maintains that that was not her motivation.
“Every time I looked in the mirror it was the first thing I looked at,” she said of her nose prior to the surgery.
Dr. Ross A. Clevens of the Center for Facial Cosmetic Surgery in Melbourne operated on Sarpoolaki and repaired her crooked septum, in addition to reshaping her nose.
“I didn’t want a nose that looked worked on. It’s not the teeny, tiny American nose. I got what I wanted and I feel like a made a good choice,” Sarpoolaki said.
Sarpoolaki’s rhinoplasty procedure totaled at $11,000 dollars, part of which was covered by her insurance company due to her septum problems.
Dr. John Poser concludes that he does not necessarily believe that plastic surgery on young patients deserves is bad rap. “It can change peoples’ lives,” the doctor commented.