A Mother’s Perspective on Cosmetic Surgery for Teens
August 13th, 2009
Mikaela first expressed an interest in having breast augmentation during her junior year in high school. It was always a struggle to find swimming suits and dresses for events such as Prom, because she never quite filled out the bust line very well. She would spend hours trying things on to find something that she felt looked okay. I realize that some of this was just her age, but most of her concerns were legitimate.
At her request, I actually asked Dr Bashioum about breast augmentation for her. He recommended that she wait until she was 18 years of age and perhaps even until after the completion of high school. Needless to say, Mikaela was disappointed. I was relieved that it would give her time to really consider whether or not this was something that she wanted to pursue. We discussed the surgery at great length and the fact that this is a decision that will affect her future in many ways. There are distinct advantages to being a nurse and it proved to be very helpful having the firsthand knowledge of many kinds of surgery. I knew that implants do not last forever and her implants will, at some point in the future, have to be replaced. Would she be financially and emotionally mature enough to handle that?
Check back to read about our consultation with Dr. Bashioum.
Patient Prospectives: What Age for Breast Implants?
August 12th, 2009
My name is Mikaela. I’m 18 years old and a recent high school graduate. Getting breast implant surgery was something I’ve wanted to do since I was about 14 years old. I talked to my mom a few times when I was maybe 16 or 17. Initially, I wanted to get the surgery as soon as possible, either the summer before my senior year or during Christmas break.
My mom is a nurse and knew Dr. Bashioum’s medical policy regarding age for surgery. Dr. Bashioum said he would only do my surgery when I was at least 18 years old. When I first heard this news, I was definitely disappointed, as I had been hoping to get it done before summer. Looking back now though, I’m really glad I waited until the summer after high school graduation. I learned a lot of things about my self and by body that were important about considering cosmetic surgery. I think waiting until I was 18 was a good recommendation, though. I’m also happy that I decided to wait, because I actually became more comfortable with myself the way I was. I felt attractive and learned to love how I looked. Although, I was still unhappy with my breast shape and surgery would make bra and clothes shopping much easier. I felt out of proportion. It was always hard for me to find a bra, because I’m a fairly broad person. It was difficult to find bras that were big enough around and small enough in the cup size. Most of all, I felt that getting breast implants would make my body look more proportionate and feminine.
Please check back to follow my story…