Special Guidelines For Prospective Teenage Patients

Statistics seem to indicate that there has been a rise in the overall number of aesthetic (cosmetic) surgeries. The numbers of teens having cosmetic surgery has, however, remained constant. Experts in the medical field agree that for appropriately selected teenage patients, cosmetic surgery can have a positive impact on both physical and emotional development. They also agree that several factors must be used as a guideline for selecting teenagers for whom plastic surgery will prove beneficial.

1. The level of each teen’s physical maturity must be assessed, because surgery on a feature that has not yet fully developed could potentially interfere with the growth of that feature or negate the benefits of surgery in later years.
2. Emotional maturity and expectations need to evaluated in order to determine that the teenager appreciates and understands both the benefits and the limitations of surgery. It important that each candidate have realistic expectations.
3. The competency of the plastic surgeon should be investigated. State laws permit any licensed physician to be called a "plastic" or "cosmetic" surgeon, even if not trained as a surgeon. Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery should absolutely be a criteria and, if the doctor operates in an ambulatory or officebased facility (such as ours), the facility should be accredited. In addition, the surgeon should have operating privileges in an accredited hospital for the procedure being considered.
4. The prospective patient should be given the time and information to explore risks and expected recovery times: Both the teen and his or her parents should understand the risks of surgery, postoperative restrictions on activity, and typical recovery times.