Over the past couple of decades more and more people have decided to get some form of plastic surgery. This has mainly included adults who wanted a nose job or tummy tuck, but it appears children under the age of eighteen are increasingly choosing this option.

But, is it right for children to have cosmetic surgery?

It can be necessary if a child requires plastic surgery for injuries, but there are increasing numbers who are going under the knife for aesthetic reasons.

Why?

The answer probably lies in the fact that we live in a celebrity society, where children’s role models are pop stars and film stars who are regularly reported for being surgically enhanced. With the obsession of looking beautiful (particularly among women, but not exclusively) younger children are thought to be influenced in the same way.

There are times when parents think it is advisable for their child to have cosmetic treatment; for instance, if they are being bullied at school for a perceived defect. Interestingly, this seems to affect boys more than girls. With girls it is more a case of being beautiful like their role models—that’s the theory anyway.

But, could it also not be the case that a parent’s own obsessions are transferred onto their children?

One example of this could be something called the Asian eye surgery. This is a procedure where a person of Asian descent has his or her eyes altered to look more European.

Since self image is a growing problem in westernised nations, is carrying out such procedures on children just adding to that problem?