RUNNING HEADER: LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Amanda Lawrence

RWS 1301

University of Texas at El Paso

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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Abstract

Adolescent cosmetic surgery is now a worldwide phenomenon that is being glorified by

many doctors, celebrities and the media. The aim of this research paper is to make people of all

ages aware of the effects, both good and bad, of cosmetic surgery. Adolescent cosmetic surgery

is growing at an alarming rate and is pulling the interest of researchers.

Keywords

Cosmetic surgery; Adolescent; Celebrity; Health;

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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Introduction

In today’s society, adolescent cosmetic surgery is a worldwide growing phenomenon that

is being glorified through all types of outlets. These surgeries have gathered a lot of notice from

media, celebrities, and doctors. The purpose of this literature review is to address unclear

concerns on adolescent cosmetic surgery. This research paper will include the dangers, the

benefits, and the main influential factors of adolescent cosmetic surgery. This paper will lastly

include primary research, that is simply based off of ten students that attended the University of

Texas at El Paso. The results of this research are shocking and should not go unnoticed since it

can alter one’s life forever. This focus has brought cosmetic surgery to the forefront and has

normalized it so that it is no longer something that only rich celebrities can afford. These

procedures are being done to people of all ages but doesn’t necessarily mean they are safe for all

age groups. Throughout the intense study and research of adolescent cosmetic surgery, the risks

and dangers have become problematic.

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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic Surgery Gone Wrong

(Capistrano, J., 2016, 10 reasons Your Plastic or Cosmetic Surgery Procedure Might Fail.

Retrieved from www.xenlife.com)

The Dangers of Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Along with cosmetic surgeries comes the health risks that can alter between patients,

particularly adolescents who have not fully developed. According to Zuckerman and Abrahams

(2008), research they found that cosmetic surgeries come with more complications of mental and
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

medical health to bodies that have not reached full maturity. (p. 320). Throughout Zuckerman

and Abraham studies, they have discovered that individuals who undergo breast augmentation

are significantly more likely to commit suicide. The authors feel as if the lack of information and

screenings given to teens is why the rate of implications continues to grow. Studies have shown

that distorted body image and mental health issues are the main incentive for adolescents to go

through a cosmetic procedure.

Genital cosmetic surgery on adolescents is a growing phenomenon in our society. Woods

(2018), article explains that between 2008 and 2012 there was 267 labial reduction procedures on

children under the age of 14. Often these procedures cause complication on bodies that have not

fully matured. As the body goes through puberty after enduring these surgeries it often develops

complications. These complications range from severe to not as severe problems that can often

result in the need for second operations.

Labiaplasty is one of the most common procedures in female genital cosmetic surgery

and has continuously increasing rates. According to Runacres and Woods (2016), studies on

cosmetic labiaplasty surgery on adolescents has a 4.1% repeat rate due to healing complicates or

postoperative bleeding. Other common complications of labiaplasty surgery include infection,

pain, and scarring. It is researched that women who undergo cosmetic surgery at a younger age

have a tendency to seek further procedures later in life. Studies reported a satisfaction rate in

excess of 90% and a complication rate of 6.76% in genital cosmetic surgery in adolescents.

Requests for cosmetic surgeries should be monitored extremely and, if possible, revisited after

18 years of age.
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Another type of cosmetic surgery is facial cosmetic surgery, which is designed to

enhance the facial region of an individual. From chin, contour, ear, eye and lip deformities, an

individual can choose to undergo cosmetic surgery. With each surgery comes with the risk of

complications. As presented in Perenack, Haggerty, Webb, and Will’s (2017), research article is

a list of possible risks and complications of facial cosmetic surgery. Things such as drugs use,

repeat surgery, nerve dysfunction, facial fracture, unplanned blood transfusions, infections, and

patient dissatisfaction are all risks that individuals take when experiencing facial cosmetic

surgery.
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Setting the Example for Young Fans

(Armstrong, A., 2014, Unrealistic Standards of Beauty for Women in Society Today.

Retrieved from www.storify.com)

The Influences of Cosmetic Surgery

The roles of media, peers, and celebrities have an influence over adolescent’s views on

cosmetic procedures because they are the most impactful to this generation. In Tiggemann,

Mattiske, and Sharp (2014) journal, it is claimed that media and peers have one of the largest

impacts on the growing rates of adolescent cosmetic surgery. The team surveyed over 300
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

adolescents to record their outlook on the topic. The results conform the fact that media and

peers have a strong hand on influencing adolescents to consider a cosmetic procedure. The

reason being is because adolescents are heavily impacted by what they see on media and want to

take part in it.

In Maltby and Day’s journal (2011), they argue celebrity worship is another large

influential factor that drives adolescents into considering cosmetic surgery. They gave a total of

137 adolescents a questionnaire to measure their attitudes towards a celebrity whose body image

they admire. The results show that those who worship celebrities body imagines more often have

a greater chance of undergoing a cosmetic procedure themselves. In the picture shown above it is

actress Heidi Montag, a star from The Hills television show and other reality series. The image

shows the stars body before and after cosmetic surgery and describes her newly sculpted body as

“perfect”. The pictures list a total of ten procedures that were performed on Montag in the span

of twelve months. Although Montag is not an adolescent she is looked up to by many young

children that aspire to be more like her. Montag being so well known, is what makes her such an

influence on people of all ages that follow her as a celebrity.

Although peers, media, and celebrities have an influence on cosmetic surgery so does an

individual’s psychological state. According to Farshidfar, Dastjerdi, and Shahabizadeh (2013),

the want of a cosmetic procedure can be based off of many psychological factors. As studies,

people often desire cosmetic surgery in hopes of bettering their self-esteem, confidence, and

conformity. What most individuals do not realize is that often these cosmetic procedures have

the potential to change a person’s psychological state in regard to their mental health. Sarwer,
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Wadden, Pertschuk, and Whitaker (1998), have studies postoperative results of patients, showing

that 70% of 98 patients were diagnosed with psychiatric disturbance.

Benefits of Cosmetic Surgery

As mentioned earlier, when a patient decides to undergo a cosmetic procedure they run

risks of complications. The chances of a complication occurring, is unique to each patient. When

a surgery is successful it can also come with many benefits. Perenack, Haggerty, Webb, and Will

(2017), claim that facial cosmetic surgery can benefit adolescents in several ways. For examples,

frequently adolescents struggle with acne and acne scarring, but that can be improved by a range

of different procedures that are intended to revoke facial acne (p. 16).

Cosmetic surgery is not always used just to alter one appearance to their liking, it is often

used as form of altering abnormalities. According to Stricker, Fiadjoe, and Lerman (2010), the

incidence of major morbidity and mortality has been reduced in the past 30 years from 16.5% to

1.6% in adolescents undergoing cosmetic surgery. Cleft lip and palate are some common

abnormalities 1 in 600 children are born with worldwide. These two malformations can be

repaired with the use of cosmetic surgery, giving an individual better quality of life.

Overall if a patient receives the change as positive it can enhance their way of thinking,

their emotions, and have behavior change. McGrath and Mukerji (2000), believe cosmetic

procedures on teenagers is acceptable, but only to a selected mature few. They understand that

sometimes these procedures are vital to changing one’s life for the better. The team gave

examples of how rhinoplasty can help one’s breathing and how otoplasty can enhance one’s
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

hearing. They then go one to explain that in some situations teenagers undergo a breast reduction

surgery because they are under a lot of back and neck pain.

Primary Research

The diversity at the University of Texas at El Paso is massive, so I personally took it

upon myself to conduct my own primary research for this paper. I first began with a question,

which was “Have you undergone a cosmetic procedure or know someone who has “? I then

proceeded to ask ten students at random from a class of 200+ students. Going into class that day

I was pessimistic that I would find anyone who had personally undergone a cosmetic surgery, I

ended up surprising myself with the results. Only one out of the then students had undergone a

cosmetic surgery. The student was kind enough to explain what type of procedure she received

and why. The student then went on to tell me she had been in a sport related injury when she was

younger and broke her nose but decided to fix it years after the incident. Her surgery was not

urgent and was more of a personal preference. The student then went on to tell me that she loves

her nose new shape and does not regret a thing.

Over half of the, specifically six out of ten, students personally know someone who has

undergone a cosmetic procedure. The six students briefly explained their relationship with the

other individual and what procedure they had received. Surprising enough five out of the six said

they personally knows someone with a nose job. The extra one-person knows someone with

breast implants. With the one students who has personally received a cosmetic procedure and sex

students who personally know someone who has received cosmetic surgery, only three out of the

ten students have no relationship with cosmetic surgery in any form.

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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

The results were shocking, this survey displays how common cosmetic surgery truly is

without people ever paying close attention. I too personally know two people with cosmetic

surgery which happens to be on their nose. My results show how much of a higher rate nose jobs

are expanding, compared to the hundreds of other cosmetic procedures.

Conclusion

Adolescent cosmetic surgery is an on growing phenomenon that is spreading worldwide.

The topic has gathered a great deal of attention from doctors, celebrities and media of all sorts.

Throughout all the studies of cosmetic procedures that are being performed on adolescents,

researchers have identified the dangers, the benefits, and the influential factors behind the desire

for cosmetic surgery. The issue is far deeper than a child simply wanting to change their outward

appearance through a cosmetic procedure. It is only in those extreme circumstance in which

cosmetic surgery will provide a better quality of life for a child that these procedures should be

allowed. Society’s focus needs to shift to be more inclusive and accepting of all kinds of

individuals.
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

References

Farshidfar, Z., Dastjerdi, R., & Shahabizadeh, F. (2013). Acceptance of cosmetic surgery: Body

image, self esteem and conformity doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.542

Maltby, J., & Day, L. (2011). Celebrity worship and incidence of elective cosmetic surgery:

Evidence of a link among young adults doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.12.014

McGrath, M. H., & Mukerji, S. (2000). Plastic surgery and the teenage

patient doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S1083-3188(00)00042-5

Perenack, J., Haggerty, C., Webb, D., & Will, M. (2017). Facial cosmetic

surgerydoi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joms.2017.04.029 "

Runacres, S. A., & Wood, P. L. (2016). Cosmetic labiaplasty in an adolescent

populationdoi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2015.09.010

Sarwer, D. B., Wadden, T. A., Pertschuk, M. J., & Whitaker, L. A. (1998). The psychology of

cosmetic surgery: A review and reconceptualization doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-

7358(97)00047-0

Sharp, G., Tiggemann, M., & Mattiske, J. (2014). The role of media and peer influences in

australian women's attitudes towards cosmetic

surgery doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.07.009
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Literature Review: Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

Stricker, P. A., Fiadjoe, J. E., & Lerman, J. (2019). In Coté C. J., Lerman J. and Anderson B.

J.(Eds.), 35 - plastic and reconstructive surgery. Philadelphia: Content Repository Only!.

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-42974-0.00035-5

Zuckerman, D., & Abraham, A. (2008). Teenagers and cosmetic surgery: Focus on breast

augmentation and liposuction doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.04.018