On the Today Show: Teens and Plastic Surgery

As the mother of a teenage girl, I’m horrified by the trend I’m seeing – women are getting plastic surgery at a younger age than ever before.  Teens are changing their bodies before they fully develop physically or emotionally.  How can that be a good decision? 

On the Today show, one doctor admitted to working on teens between the ages of 14-19 but says that he has had kids as young as 12 seeking his services.  That is so incredibly sad to me.  The most common procedures include having nose jobs, breast reductions (boys and girls), liposuction and ears being pinned back. 

What message are we sending to our youth today that would lead to a 180% increase in plastic surgery among teens from 2003 to 2008?  I know that some people argue that being unhappy with your body can lead to low self-esteem but the teenage years are often filled with emotional turmoil so who is to say that, as an adult, that same child wouldn’t love how they look? 

What do you think?  Should teens get plastic surgery?  Watch the segment: