Recent high school graduate Madison Landis, who is 18-years-old, recently got breast implants as a graduation gift. She says her small breasts made her self-conscious. "I feel like it will make me more confident for college and less insecure about myself," she recently told CNN about her upcoming surgery.
Madison's parents say that they agreed to pay for the cosmetic surgery to help their daughter's self-image.
"It's something she felt really strongly about," Madison's mom, Tonya Everett, told the news source. "She's 18 and it's her body, so we're willing to support her decision."
While studies show that self-esteem can be improved by cosmetic procedures, it is best to exercise caution when it comes to teens. Most doctors will not perform breast augmentation surgery on patients under the age of 18, those graduating from college this spring, as well as some high school grads, can often get the go-ahead. And many plastic surgeons say they see an increase in the number of young women seeking the surgery this time of year.
"You see it around graduation," one plastic surgeon told WomensENews.com. "You see it around holidays and spring break, especially around the Christmas season."
The article also emphasizes the importance of visiting a board-certified plastic surgeon before making any decisions and understanding the risks of surgery and breast implants. Some patients make the decision first and worry about the details later. During a consultation, a qualified surgeon can make an assessment about breast surgery, whether or not it’s too early or if a patient is not mature enough to handle the process. Also, breast implants are not lifetime devices and will need to be replaced in the future. A teen must understand that they will most likely need replacement surgery in the future.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), breast augmentation surgery remained one of the most popular surgical cosmetic procedures in 2011, with more than 316,000 total surgeries performed by ASAPS members. Women aged 18 and under only accounted for 1.5 percent of the total, while almost 50% are between the ages of 19-34.
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