Teenagers are seeking cosmetic surgery in record numbers with 210,000 procedures done in 2009. Teens typically want plastic surgery to improve physical characteristics that they feel are flawed as they want to fit in with their peers. Something like severe acne with scarring makes a teen very self conscious.

Many surgeons send children to see a therapist first, which allows the child to explore the reasons for having the work done. This also gives the doctor the benefit of having a profession opinion which shows the teens maturity to make this type of decision. Doctors are feeling pressure from their peers also to refuse purely aesthetic enhancements to teens. This goes for Botox as well. No one knows the long term effects of injecting ones skin with Botox as it has only been approved since 2002.

The most common surgery is a nose job, but there are many other popular treatments, such as: liposuction, breast augmentation or reduction, ear pinning, Botox, eyelid surgery, laser akin resurfacing, microdermabrasionm, laser treatment of leg veins, and laser hair removal. It is our job as parents to raise our children with good self esteem, and hopefully they will accept the beautiful person they are.