Parents are understandably concerned about the potential influence of the media on their children’s perception of their self-image and sense of fashion. With so much coverage of plastic surgery on every type of media, young minds are definitely exposed and easily swayed. This has led to a perception that many teenagers and college students are having plastic surgery. Some have even called it an epidemic. I am frequently asked about this perceived trend from older adults.
In reality, there is no such deluge of young patients undergoing plastic surgery. In my practice, I see no more than 3 or 4 patients a year under the age of 22 who are having some form of cosmetic enhancement. That makes up less than 2% of my practice patients. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, only 5% of college-age women have had plastic surgery although many more see it as an acceptable thing to do. Their study of over 500 women from 6 universities showed that the most common procedures were chemical peels, breast augmentation, breast reduction, and rhinoplasty.
While many more young women may want some form of plastic surgery, there is a simple reason as to why this percentage will not ever significantly increase…..affordability. While many young people may want plastic surgery, there are also the less likely of any age group to have the disposable cash for it. Nor are they likely to be able to get financing which now accounts for a significant percent of patients having cosmetic surgery today.
This exposure at such young ages, while not accounting for a current epidemic, will likely have an impact decades later. I suspect that this generation will be more likely to have plastic surgery later on as a result of their media exposure and the acceptance of face and body alterations.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana