Nose jobs top teens' gift list

12 August 2016 - 02:38 By SHENAAZ JAMAL

Daddy's little girl might once have got a pony on her 16th birthday but now the trend is for a complete body makeover, courtesy of a plastic surgeon. And that might include perfect breasts, buttocks and, yes, the pout. Plastic surgeons say cosmetic surgery for teenagers is becoming more popular.Driving the fad are social media and the influence of the Kardashians, who redefined beauty through plastic surgery.But, for some, it is about regaining self-confidence.Mairoon Kara allowed her 16-year-old to undergo cosmetic surgery on her nose because she was self-conscious about it. She had asked for plastic surgery when she was only 12."I allowed her to do it when she was 16 because for a long time she was unhappy with her nose, saying it was flat. As her mother, I can say it wasn't a nice-looking nose." Kara said the nose job boosted her daughter's self-esteem.Plastic surgeon Ridwan Mia said teens had become a lot more interested in cosmetic surgery. Sought-after procedures included the removal of post-acne and injury scars, nose jobs and sculpting of eye lids, chin and cheekbones."There is interest in non-invasive procedures, starting with Botox and fillers," Mia said. "It's not always age-appropriate and we have to advise them against it. A lot of young girls want to have a 'natural pout' and get fillers on the lips. That's because of the selfie culture."Psychology professor Gillian Eagle said: "Unless there is some kind of disfigurement to be [corrected], such as a cleft lip, this surgery seems inappropriate because it is communicating that there is something deficient in the individual."Psychologist Antonio Lentoor said plastic surgery was not warranted for most adolescents."Apart from surgery risks, adolescents can be left with deep psychological scars that can make them become even more self-conscious."..

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