DaytonBuck
I've always liked them
More teens choose breast implants
Conversations between fathers and daughters are getting more awkward every year.
The number of 18- and 19-year-olds who underwent breast augmentation surgery has increased 24 percent in the past two years, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Furthermore, the number of 18-year-olds having the surgery tripled in a year — 11,326 in 2003, compared to 3,872 the year before, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Why are so many young women having the surgery? Local experts disagree. One doctor says he sees healthly, well-adjusted women who want the operation, while a local psychologist believes women with self-image problems are being pressured into the surgery.
Regardless of the reasons, the increase in teens having breast augmentation mirrors the increase in overall cosmetic surgeries. Some 8.7 million Americans had cosmetic surgery in 2003, up from the 6.6 million the year before, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Eighty-two percent of the surgeries were performed on women.
"The biggest reason I see young girls coming in for surgery is because they have no breast tissue," said Dr. GregoryMaupin, who did six surgeries in 2003 and just two the year before at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Dayton. "They are totally flat chested, and their clothing and bathing suits don't fit correctly because of that."
The idea that these girls are nervous and unsure of their decision is false, he said.
"Healthy, well-motivated girls are the ones who want to have it done," Maupin said. "If I feel they're being pressured (by a boyfriend or anyone else), I won't do it."
Dr. Mary Ann Jones of the Professional Psychological Services differs.
"There's something in our society that makes them feel inadequate," said Jones of Dayton. "If they have body-image problems, no matter what they do, they won't be happy."
Jones and Maupin agree that people interested in having breast augmentation surgery must understand the risks involved. The surgery costs about $4,000 and is not typically covered by insurance.
There's a great deal of pain involved during the six-week recovery period because the woman's muscle fibers are pulled off the chest wall and forced to reset themselves around the implants, Maupin said.
There have been cases where implants have leaked, and in other cases people became seriously ill after the surgery. Sometimes the breasts can become infected, requiring more surgery, but Maupin says these cases are rare.
The average-sized implant women get today raises their bust size to a C-cup, and Maupin said he's very reluctant to go any larger than that because of neck and back pain associated with D-cup or DD-cup breasts.
"Society shouldn't put pressure on girls to get implants," Maupin said. "But what (critics of breast implants) don't realize is that the pressure is already there. Society is what it is, and maybe it is unfair, but how do you change it?"
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0628teenimplants.html
Conversations between fathers and daughters are getting more awkward every year.
The number of 18- and 19-year-olds who underwent breast augmentation surgery has increased 24 percent in the past two years, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Furthermore, the number of 18-year-olds having the surgery tripled in a year — 11,326 in 2003, compared to 3,872 the year before, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Why are so many young women having the surgery? Local experts disagree. One doctor says he sees healthly, well-adjusted women who want the operation, while a local psychologist believes women with self-image problems are being pressured into the surgery.
Regardless of the reasons, the increase in teens having breast augmentation mirrors the increase in overall cosmetic surgeries. Some 8.7 million Americans had cosmetic surgery in 2003, up from the 6.6 million the year before, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Eighty-two percent of the surgeries were performed on women.
"The biggest reason I see young girls coming in for surgery is because they have no breast tissue," said Dr. GregoryMaupin, who did six surgeries in 2003 and just two the year before at the Plastic Surgery Institute of Dayton. "They are totally flat chested, and their clothing and bathing suits don't fit correctly because of that."
The idea that these girls are nervous and unsure of their decision is false, he said.
"Healthy, well-motivated girls are the ones who want to have it done," Maupin said. "If I feel they're being pressured (by a boyfriend or anyone else), I won't do it."
Dr. Mary Ann Jones of the Professional Psychological Services differs.
"There's something in our society that makes them feel inadequate," said Jones of Dayton. "If they have body-image problems, no matter what they do, they won't be happy."
Jones and Maupin agree that people interested in having breast augmentation surgery must understand the risks involved. The surgery costs about $4,000 and is not typically covered by insurance.
There's a great deal of pain involved during the six-week recovery period because the woman's muscle fibers are pulled off the chest wall and forced to reset themselves around the implants, Maupin said.
There have been cases where implants have leaked, and in other cases people became seriously ill after the surgery. Sometimes the breasts can become infected, requiring more surgery, but Maupin says these cases are rare.
The average-sized implant women get today raises their bust size to a C-cup, and Maupin said he's very reluctant to go any larger than that because of neck and back pain associated with D-cup or DD-cup breasts.
"Society shouldn't put pressure on girls to get implants," Maupin said. "But what (critics of breast implants) don't realize is that the pressure is already there. Society is what it is, and maybe it is unfair, but how do you change it?"
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0628teenimplants.html
