3 tips for evaluating teens for aesthetic treatment

When it comes to evaluating the adolescent population for aesthetic treatments, experts agree that cosmetic doctors should proceed with caution, for both physiological and psychological reasons. This is their advice:

1. Assess Physical Maturity

Operating on a feature that has not yet fully developed could interfere with its growth, and continued growth could negate the benefits of surgery in later years, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

2. Explore Emotional Maturity and Expectations

As with any patient, the young person should appreciate the benefits and limitations of the proposed surgery, and have realistic expectations, according to ASAPS.

Update: Aesthetic trends among teens

3. Educate, Educate, Educate

Gia Washington, Ph.D.Teens and their parents should understand the risks of surgery, postoperative restrictions on activity, and typical recovery times, according to ASAPS. Adolescents should fully understand how invasive a procedure is (by use of visual models, graphics, etc) and have a good understanding of what type of procedure may be reversible, according to Gia Washington, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Texas Children’s Hospital and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
 

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For More Information

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons offers a “Plastic Surgery for Teenagers Briefing Paper,” at www.plasticsurgery.org.