Graduates Celebrate Degrees with Cosmetic Surgery

More teens than ever are getting plastic surgery and some are even receiving procedures as graduation presents, according to  Crain’s New York Business.

The article reports on the rise in the number of plastic surgery procedures among teens in the last few years and how many teens ask for procedures as graduation presents.

Last year,  8,199 U.S. teenagers aged 18 and 19 had breast enlargements—more than triple the number in 2001, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The increase came during the recession, amid a dip in the number of overall plastic surgeries.

Teens make up just 2 percent of all cosmetic surgery patients in the country, but their numbers are growing, which Crain’s attributes to reality shows like Extreme Makeover, press coverage of celebrities’ bodies, and increasing openness in America about plastic surgery.

“In the past few years, I’ve seen more younger people doing more plastic surgery than ever before,” says Dr. Andrew Jacono, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Manhattan. “There’s a lot of pressure on young people to look a certain way, and when kids go away to college, it’s a chance to start all over.”

Nose jobs, liposuction treatments, and breast augmentations are some of the most popular procedures for teens. “Breast surgery is at the top of the list for graduates now,” says Dr. Mauro Romita, a New York City surgeon.

Stephanie Michelle just graduated from the University of Buffalo, and is getting a nose job for her college graduation. She first asked for the procedure after she graduated high school, but her parents made her wait. Now that she has her degree, her family is researching doctors.

“This is the perfect time to do it,” says Ms. Michelle. “I am going to be on my own and moving to the city and becoming an adult.”  Read the full story about this plastic surgery trend at Crain’s New York Business.