Plastic Surgery Surges Among New Grads

Plastic Surgery Surges Among New Grads

Plastic surgery is gaining popularity among teens aged 18 and 19, reports Crain’s New York Business, and has even become a popular graduation present.

Last year 8,199 U.S. teenagers aged 18 and 19 had breast enlargements—more than triple the number in 2001, according to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

The increase came during the height of the recession, at a time when the overall number of plastic surgeries dipped.

Teens make up only 2 percent of all U.S. cosmetic surgery patients, but their numbers are increasing. Crain’s attributes this to cultural factors, including press coverage of celebrities’ bodies and plastic surgery reality shows.

“In the past few years, I’ve seen more younger people doing more plastic surgery than ever before,” says Manhattan plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Andrew Jacono. “There’s a lot of pressure on young people to look a certain way, and when kids go away to college, it’s a chance to start all over.”

For teens, the most popular cosmetic procedures include liposuction treatments and breast augmentations. Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. Mauro Romita says that breast surgery is at the top of the list for graduates now.

Stephanie Michelle, a 2010 University of Buffalo grad, asked for a nose job after she graduated from high school. Her parents told her to wait for college graduation, and now they are researching doctors for the procedure.

“This is the perfect time to do it,” says Ms. Michelle. “I am going to be on my own and moving to the city and becoming an adult.” To learn more about this trend, read “Pomp and rhinoplasty honor grads” at Crain’s New York Business.