Ethical aspects of cosmetic and body enhancement surgeries in adolescents and minors: an opinion article

Abstract

Recently, social awareness of improvements in surgicaltechniques has caused an increased demand forcosmetic surgeries for different reasons amongteenagers and adolescents. In my opinion, physicalappearance and aesthetics are now more valuable thanother core personal values. Psychosocial factors andpeer pressure are major drivers of this trend.Mainstream media and the internet are also playing acrucial role in advertising and glamorizing cosmeticsurgery procedures. I strongly believe that theadolescent has not fully developed the neededpsychophysical balance to make such choices. In mysubmission, doctors should evaluate every case within aproper ethical and professional context and should turndown unnecessary requests for cosmetic surgery byteenagers and adolescents even if consent has beenduly obtained from parents and legal guardians.