Self-Esteem From A Scalpel: The Ethics Of Plastic Surgery

The Knife's’ Impact on Teens
In 2012, over 300,000 people had plastic surgery in the United States. This is a big number, but it only represents teenagers who are 18 years old or younger. Plastic surgery has a negative impact on teenager’s mental and physical health. Plastic surgery is a type of surgery that can involve both a person’s appearance and ability to function. There are many types of damaging procedures teens request without really knowing the consequences.
If you are not 18 years old or younger, you must get your parents permission to get plastic surgery. There are no laws in that prohibit teens from getting surgery in the U.S. (Cosmetic) Plastic surgery is usually divided into the two categories that are reconstructive and cosmetic.

Poupard said in his paper, “Self- Esteem From a Scalpel: The Ethics of Plastic Surgery”. This is true for most teens who get plastic surgery and doctors have called it Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD. BDD is a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance that leads to significant impairment in functioning. (Teens) It is worth noting that it can be hard to distinguish this disorder. Another reason teens go under the knife is because they view it as a way to look acceptable. Although, body parts that seem too small or too large become proportional in time because their bodies are still growing. However, teens compare their looks to body images, which are mostly photoshopped, so they think that the way they look is wrong. (Stevens) Another explanation is because teens are often pressured by their family and peers to look a certain way. Some studies say that people who pressure their kids may struggle with their own body image. A common defense is that teens get surgery because of birth defects that make them uncomfortable. For example, some men have a genetic defect called gynecomastia, in which a man grows breast tissue and want to get surgery to reduce their size. These arguments are common, but there are other alternatives that are better and even more

So, instead of getting a liposuction and risk damaging internal organs, most doctors recommend getting into shape. This is a more preferable way of reducing fat because liposuction is not a way of treating obesity, and most doctors recommend a proper diet and exercise instead. (Plastic) If it seems like your self-consciousness is coming from a broken mental state, another alternative is to go to a trained therapist. (Richard) It is important to go to a therapist. It is important to go to a therapist soon because this mental health disorder may get worse over time. Something else to try is improving your self-esteem. Recognizing that your body is your own and loving it can be very hard, but it is not impossible. Another thing you could do is train yourself to put less value in your appearance. Focusing on your studies, work, and family will make you happier, and if you can, try being around people who build you up instead of people who put you down. As Rose Weitz says in her book “Rapunzel’s Daughters”,”Only when all girls and women are freed from stereotypical expectations about our abilities will we be freed from the bonds of beauty