The influence celebrities have on the public is quite powerful. It is one of the reasons companies spend so much money to hire celebrities as spokespeople for their products. One of the names given to the trend of young people deciding to have cosmetic surgery is the “Kardashian effect” as teens see reality TV stars have plastic surgery on a regular basis. The idea that celebrities influence teenagers to have plastic surgery has been around for a long time. However, is there any truth to this theory?
Teens and Plastic Surgery
As recently as 2105, it was reported that 91\\% of the people who had cosmetic surgery that year were women. The surgeries covered a wide range of choices including breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty and abdominoplasty. It’s not just older patients looking to recapture their youth through plastic surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 64\\% of doctors that perform plastic surgery have seen an increase in the number of patients visiting them under the age of 30. They also reported that, back in 2013, almost 18,000 teenagers between the ages of 13-19 had some form of Botox.
The media point to magazines, social media and websites that feature celebs such as Kylie Jenner who had work done to improve her appearance. The public feels these outlets encourage young people to emulate the appearance of those they follow in order to imitate the lifestyle they imagine the celebrities enjoy on a daily basis. The impact social media has on the increase of plastic surgery among teens can't be overemphasized. The rapid development of science and technology has made communication all over the world easier than anyone could have thought possible two decades ago. Celebrities can reach their fans, via social media platforms, and this is one of the reasons for the boom of plastic surgery among teens. The influence of social media, along with the fact that celebrities are more open about the work they’ve had, lessens the stigma about having plastic surgery for some teens. The impact of social media in increasing the rate of plastic surgery among teens was evident in a survey from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) Over 40\\% of surgeons in the survey reported that patients said looking better in a selfie on social media was their reason for getting plastic surgery. In addition, 82\\% of surgeons they surveyed say that celebrities play a big part when it comes to influencing the decision of patients to have cosmetic surgery. Edwin Williams III, the President of AAFPRS, said that images of celebrities played a big part in the decision process even though the images were digitally altered. The fact that young adults and teens are at a highly impressionable age makes them want to have treatments to look like their favorite celebrities.
A Look at the Impact of Plastic Surgery on Teens
Gone are the days when plastic surgery was considered to be an extreme step in self-improvement. The liberal and free nature of world cultures today gave plastic surgery the chance to grow from a taboo to an accepted procedure. Individuals in their teenage years are going through changes both mentally and psychologically. This stage of human development is often regarded as being tough since teenagers can make mistakes that could follow them throughout their life. The impact plastic surgery has had on teens of this generation is massive. Teens see themselves on social media and compare their look to their favorite celebrities. Seeing the results their favorite celebrities get from plastic surgery makes teens follow the same path because they also want to transform their features.
Ariel Winter is a celebrity who was praised for speaking out about her breast reduction surgery. Many experts feel that seeing such a young celebrity speak out on the subject can have a positive impact on young patients since it is a surgery often cited as being beneficial for the health of the patient. Others see any promotion of plastic surgery by celebrities as a dangerous path that could cause the public to not consider the risks and side effects of plastic surgery procedures.
Plastic surgery among Teens Should be studied before being performed
Teens are advised to limit the time they spend on social media platforms such as Instagram. Instagram is a platform that passes off edited pictures as the norm and this puts enormous pressure on young individuals. There have been several calls for an icon or watermark to be placed on edited photos in order to notify others, especially teenagers, that the photos have been edited so they won’t feel pressured into making decisions based on edited pictures.
While there is still much that can be studied and determined regarding the influence that celebrities have when it comes to plastic surgery and teens, it is a trend that needs to be examined. If celebrities become more aware of the influence they have on the decision-making process of their teenage fans, they might think twice before speaking out about their latest plastic surgery adventures.
- MA
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