Teenagers would definitely consider plastic surgery.
Obsessed with celebrity role models lifestyle and looks, according to a recent survey 90% of 16 yearl old teenagers would go under the knife to change their looks.
The study, carried out by beauty brand Dove, also found that girls in the UK were among those with the lowest self esteem in the world.
According to Dr Neil Cooper, a specialist in adolescent relationships, culture and psychology at the University of East Anglia, the problem is two fold.
He said: “It is a growing problem that young women are more dissatisfied with the way they look, however, the other side of things is that there is a growing acceptance of cosmetic surgery.
“I would say it is down to the society that we live in that is causing young people to be dissatisfied with themselves because we are all being encouraged to buy into an image of what it is to be perfect.
“Young people will look at media images of successful celebrities and try to aspire to them.
“In previous years before cosmetic surgery was so readily available, people had the idea that they would have to make do with what they had and get on with it. If you were flat-chested 20 years ago, there was little you could do. Now there is the possibility of change, and if it makes people feel better about themselves. However, it is not always a quick fix solution and there may be deeper emotional problems that cause people to be dissatisfied with what they look like.
“Teenagers who are 14, 15, and 16 years old are not fully developed and should not rush into cosmetic surgery. It may not make them any happier and they may not be emotionally equipped to deal with the surgery.”
According to the Dove report, three out of 10 under 12s said they wanted to be slimmer, while 15 per cent wished they were taller.
Susan Ringwood, chief executive of the Eating Disorders Association, based in Norwich, said: “Fourteen is the average age to become affected by an eating disorder and it affects one in five teenage girls. Media pressure to be slim does not cause an eating disorder but it doesn't help and makes it harder for people to get better. They see that they are very successful and healthy and think that if it works for them, then it works for me.”
Chris Khoo, president of the British Association of Plastic Surgeons (BAPS) said: “Whilst it is normal for teenagers to worry about their looks it should never be commonplace for young girls to have cosmetic surgery.
“Surgeons work under stringent guidelines and it is their responsibility to weigh up the pros and cons for each case in a responsible and focused manner in the best interests of their patient. As a general rule, children who are still growing would not be candidates for appearance change here in the UK.
“As well as physical immaturity, teenagers may not have developed the emotional strength to enable them to cope with a permanent change of appearance, the complications of surgery or the failure of surgery to meet their expectations.
“Rhinoplasty, for example, would not be undertaken on a child whose nose is still growing and the same goes for breast surgery. Liposuction is also not appropriate for most young people as healthy eating, exercise and careful dieting are more appropriate - in other words the sort of lifestyle changes that are promoted in Celebrity Fit Club.
“Occasionally, and only in extreme cases, young patients are recommended for cosmetic surgery if their appearance is such that it causes them mental health problems. It is certainly usual for reconstructive surgery to correct deformities but all cases need expert, individual consideration with the full support of the parent or guardian.”
Do you think it is right that young girls should be considering plastic surgery?