When is Teenage Plastic Surgery vs Cosmetic Surgery OK - Reality vs Hype? – A Systematic Review

Summary: Plastic surgery in teenagers has become popular in past decades due to an increase in self-awareness and desire to "fit in" with their peers. In 2016, over 229,551 cosmetic procedures were performed in patients who are under the age of 19 years old 1. The trend of plastic surgery in adolescents is increasing, and it is important for plastic surgeons to perform safe and appropriate procedures in this group. To this date, there is a myriad of literature on the psychological and ethical issues concerning plastic surgery in teenagers. However, studies regarding the safety of performing plastic surgery in this population are scare 2. The rationale for this review is to study this issue in depth via a systematic review. We will discuss the current indications, safety, patient satisfaction, and ethical considerations of teenage plastic surgery as well as make recommendations for future studies on this important area in plastic surgery. Financial Disclosure and Products: Rod J. Rohrich, MD receives instrument royalties from Eriem Surgical, Inc and book royalties from Thieme Medical Publishing. No funding was received for this article. Min-Jeong Cho, M.D., has no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article. Acknowledgements: None Corresponding Author Contact Information: Address correspondence to: Rod J. Rohrich M.D., Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, 9101 North Central Expressway, Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75231, Rod.Rohrich@UTSouthwestern.edu ©2018American Society of Plastic Surgeons