Views on Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery ─ [Garnet Plastic Surgery, Director Baek In-su, Media Report]

Adolescence is beautiful in its own way

and has a unique kind of beauty,

but from a teenager’s perspective,

they often develop a desire to have a more glamorous,

more noticeable, and prettier appearance.

Of course, excessive procedures and plastic surgery

should be prohibited when aesthetic standards

have not yet been properly established,

but if the goal is to boost outward confidence

and improve complexes,

it may be worth considering

to a certain extent.

Regarding 【adolescent cosmetic surgery】,

what views does Director Baek In-su of

Garnet Plastic Surgery hold?

Please check the media report article below!

Adolescent Cosmetic Surgery

• Director Baek In-su, Garnet Plastic Surgery

Working in plastic surgery, I have noticed that the age group inquiring about cosmetic surgery is getting younger every year. With the development of smartphones and social media, more teenagers are becoming very conscious of their appearance, and students aiming for careers in entertainment or the arts and sports may even consider plastic surgery positively for entrance exams. Of course, I think many people would say, "Students should be focusing on developing their inner selves, not on their appearance," and many parents in particular have a critical view of plastic surgery, so if their teenage children say they want to have cosmetic surgery, they may be very upset.

But today, I would like to share the case of a teenage female student that stood out in my memory.

She was a student who was often late to school because it took a long time to do her eye makeup every morning. For several years, she had been making double eyelids every morning using double-eyelid tape and adhesive because she had no natural double eyelids. As a result, the skin on her eyelids had stretched, become red from contact dermatitis, and developed fine wrinkles. Her parents, who had initially opposed plastic surgery, eventually brought their child to a plastic surgery clinic, and after double-eyelid surgery, when she had clean, beautiful double eyelids, I vividly remember them saying, with regret, that if they had known it would turn out so well, they should have had the surgery done much earlier.

I am not in a position to encourage or promote adolescent cosmetic surgery, but if I were to speak about its positive side, I think that during adolescence, gaining confidence from an appealing appearance and, unlike having surgery as an adult, the self-suggestion effect of believing that one has always been pretty (or handsome) is not something that should be viewed only negatively.

Of course, parents should not agree to everything just because their children want plastic surgery, but if their appearance complexes are interfering with daily life, it may be worth positively considering surgery.

Even among board-certified plastic surgeons, opinions will differ, but my view is that non-incisional double-eyelid surgery is generally possible from middle school age and older, while nose surgery is better suited for high school age and older, when the growth of the face is largely complete, and more extensive procedures such as facial contouring are better done after becoming an adult. Of course, if a person is still at a stage where aesthetic standards about appearance are immature, it would be best to avoid forcing surgery or excessive plastic surgery, and for detailed consultation, it is advisable to speak with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon.

Source: Gangnam Seocho Naeil Newspaper, Issue No. 1005