Obsessed With Selfies And Afraid Of Body-Shaming, Teenagers Are Turning To Cosmetic Surgery

Barbie wrapped in a Manchester United footie scarf바카라�pinned, scarred and misshapen, like a memento left behind by a vengeful sorceress going at a voodoo doll바카라�is your Exhibit A. It shares space with things you would deem to be part of the normal, ­rea­ssuring ecosystem atop an urban teenage girl바카라�s chest of drawers: a Harry Potter collection, a high-end Bose Bluetooth speaker set and bobble heads of Beyonce and Kim Kardashian. What gives? What brought this turn to the macabre in this reg­ulation picture of girlish innocence, with its coy asp­irations to ideals of beauty?

Well, the grotesque doll is a reminder of the months of dep­ression this girl went through early this year바카라�pockmarked by bouts of hysterical rage that she vented on the toy. Why? Because she was trolled and body-shamed for her small breasts. She was asked if she was from 바카라�Man-chester바카라�바카라�a cryptic taunt that swiftly opened the sluice-gates for a torrent of plain ­in-the-face filth. She pulled away from her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds, and from people, too. She seldom stepped out of her ­parents바카라� cushy duplex in a tony south Delhi neighbourhood. Her home ­became her self-imposed pen­itentiary, her asylum.

And she was just 15.

The next turn in the script was as predictable as it was filled with intimations of danger and tragedy. Worried sick about her not-so-ample bosom, she found herself in a doctor바카라�s office discussing surgery. It was a risky move, but she reclaimed her place in the spotlight. She is a C-cup now; her selfies are all wow, topped with bug-eyed emojis, and how she loves the sideways glances of looky-loos on the street. She has got her pound of flesh바카라�er바카라�silicon.

Her story is not uncommon. Like the plastic in her chest, her sense of beauty is synthetic, unreal바카라�dictated and designed by Bollywood, Hollywood, romcoms, reality television, social media and, above all else, Aishwarya Rai바카라�s nose or Angelina Jolie바카라�s lips or the bootylicious figures of Beyonce and Kim Kardashian. This is emblematic of a growing trend where Indian teenagers and pubescent youngsters바카라�bullied, body-shamed or simply unsatisfied with their inherited looks바카라�are putting their noses, lips, chins, eyes, breasts and bellies under the surgeon바카라�s knife as if it바카라�s a coming-of-age ceremony.

So, is cosmetic surgery the new vanity must-have for Indian teenagers obsessed with selfies and incurably afraid of body-shaming? Experts res­pond in the affirmative. 바카라�The trend of cosmetic surgery for kids has inc­reased over the past few years bec­ause of social media, peer pressure and an inherent desire to look good,바카라� says Mumbai-based plastic surgeon Viral Desai. Children are pushing the limits of human endeavour to change their appearance, beyond the lim­itations of grooming, using make-up and adding appurtenances바카라�earrings, ­tattoos and so on.

There is no definitive data on the number of Indian teenagers going for cosmetic surgery, but demand has grown exponentially, if figures reeled out by a cross-section of surgeons from across the country are taken into account. Dr Bimal Mody of P.D. Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai says that, a few years ago, he would see two to three teenage patients every month. Now he gets that many children each week. According to New Delhi-based Dr Shishir Agrawal, senior consultant plastic surgeon at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, it is increasing at a rate of 10 to 15 per cent a year. Dr Kiran Lohia, who specialises in aesthetic medicine and laser surgery in New Delhi, says about 50 per cent of her patients are kids, while Dr Priyadarshan K. of Fortis Hospital in Bangalore puts the figure at 40 per cent. 바카라�A 30 per cent increase in cosmetic surgery for children under 18 over the past decade has been rep­orted,바카라� says Dr Sameer Karkhanis, a cosmetic surgeon in Mumbai.

Bullying is perhaps the primary cause of the spurt in aesthetic procedures. For teen girls, being called 바카라�flat바카라� or 바카라�fat바카라� by friends or family contributes to developing negative image stereotypes and social devaluation. Shivangi, a teenager from Mumbai who was relentlessly body-shamed, had to go to great lengths to get the reassurance she needed. 바카라�My breasts never grew. I used to be extremely self-conscious about the way I looked. I overheard my classmates calling me a 바카라�manly girl바카라�. That got me to explore options on breast enlargement. I thought about it, talked to my parents, who are supportive, and went ahead with the surgery. Now I feel confident about my body,바카라� she says. In most cases such as hers, according to Dr Karkhanis, parents seek surgery to help end the ridicule their kids are subjected to because of 바카라�physical abnormalities바카라�.

The strong need to bolster one바카라�s self-image is affecting boys as well. Rajan, a 15-year-old from New Delhi, became a recluse when his 바카라�breasts바카라� began growing abnormally about three years ago, a common condition among adolescent boys. Called pubertal gynaecomastia바카라�man boobs or moobs바카라�it usually resolves itself. 바카라�My friends teased me; pinched me. My self-esteem was shattered. My parents asked me to join a gym or play some sport. 바카라�But how the hell am I going to run on the treadmill with the wobbly bits?바카라� I asked myself. Then I saw a video on YouTube for chest ­red­uction,바카라� he says.

Like most teenagers living a life hooked to WiFi, the Internet made it easy and quick for him to find the right doctor. Rajan found a cosmetic surgeon, who suggested liposuction, and his parents played along. 바카라�I am an outdoorsy person again. Even my friends are astonished to see the transformation. I regained my lost confidence and self-esteem,바카라� he says. Research links the rise in gynaecomastia among young boys to their food habits and sedentary lifestyle. 바카라�Those are basically fatty tissues. There are teenage boys who come to me asking for six-pack abs. I tell them to wait until they are 18,바카라� says Dr Agrawal, who conducts at least six gyn­aecomastia surgeries a month.

Doctors don바카라�t recommend surgeries for children younger than 18 as they have not grown fully바카라�physically and psychologically. 바카라�According to Indian law, parents바카라� consent is must for a surgery for anyone under 18,바카라� says Dr Mohan Thomas of Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Institute, Mumbai. The procedures come with the disclaimer: RESULTS MAY VARY. First, patients face medical risks as they do in any surgical procedure. Second, a surgically-enhanced cute nose could turn crooked in months, or a couple of years, because a child goes through various stages of biological changes until adulthood. It all depends ultimately on how a person has worn his or her face over the years: smiley people earn crow바카라�s feet; the brow of a person who has often been angry is knotted into a permanent scowl.

Going under the knife for superficial reasons such as a cuter nose is a no-no. 바카라�Cosmetic rhinoplasty (nose job) should be considered only after 18, bec­ause nose cartilages and bones continue to grow along with the body. Similarly, healthy eating habits and exercise can reduce body fat, which a child바카라�s body can easily metabolise. Therefore, liposuction is not advised at all,바카라� says Dr Thomas, adding, 바카라�Children sometimes need a little fat. That recommended bit becomes ­excess for many couch potatoes hooked to fast food.바카라�

Sometimes, correctional surgery has vastly improved the quality of life of teenagers. The surgeon바카라�s scalpel has helped alleviate the nagging backache that girls with abnormally large breasts experience, or those children born with cleft lips. But others go under the knife again and again to cope with some inner sense of being imperfect. The problem is that the res­ults are not always desirable; who hasn바카라�t heard about Michael Jack­son바카라�s nose falling off?

But many youngsters perilously overlook the consequences. Mumbai homemaker Mrs Kamath바카라�s daughter went ahead with a procedure for fuller lips, despite her parents advising against it바카라�and came home with bruised, swollen and uneven lips. And a scar, too. 바카라�She was adamant, as her best friend had had this treatment and told her it was as simple as a flu shot. We gave in to her wishes as she wanted it as a gift for her 16th birthday. The cosmetic surgeon said it was as easy as a lunchtime beauty procedure, but the results were disappointing and scary. She now wants corrective surgery,바카라� her mother says.

And as with most things, there바카라�s a dark side to beauty. The perils of cosmetic surgery were illustrated by the death of Donda West, mother of rapper Kanye West, at a Los Angeles-area hospital in 2007 after a botched operation. British model Chloe Khan told a magazine last year how she couldn바카라�t sit down for six weeks after a Bra­zilian Butt Lift바카라�the same aesthetic procedure that dubious doctors such as celebrity surgeon 바카라�Dr Bumbum바카라�, real name Denis Furtado, are said to specialise in. Furtado now stands acc­used of murdering a pat­ient바카라� a 46-year-old bank manager and mot­her-of-two바카라�at his home in Rio de Janeiro this year. The ultimate sacrifice aside, there are thousands of people living with scars and bruises from plastic surgery gone horribly wrong.

It isn바카라�t cheap to be beautiful either. Most children that surgeons see in India have indulgent parents with money to pay for the nip and tuck that may cost between Rs 50,000 and Rs 80,000 for a nose job alone. But the trend is catching on with children from all sections of society, inc­luding those from lower-income families, says dermatologist Dr A. Selvam of Chennai, who is getting more and more children asking for scar and mole removal. And this popularity often means that people without the money to pay for a procedure end up getting one from back-alley quacks.

The  most sought-after treatments among Indian teenagers are procedures for fuller, plumper lips, nose jobs or rhinoplasty, jawline corrections and eyebrow lifts. Reshaping of abnormally large breasts and abdominal liposuction are also increasingly frequent. And flawless, blemish-free skin is in high demand. 바카라�Some complain about their broad nose, others about their elongated nose. They all want a nose with a sharp tip. Many bring images of a type they want. Aishwarya Rai바카라�s nose is the latest craze among girls,바카라� says Dr Agrawal.

Fellow surgeon Dr Desai agrees that selfies have made lip augmentations and nose jobs the most popular cosmetic procedures among children. 바카라�There are kids asking for Angelina Jolie바카라�s luscious lips, Russell Crow바카라�s jawline and Cristiano Ronaldo바카라�s sharp features. They want the perfect pout on selfies, which can be done easily with fillers and fat injection.바카라� Dermatologist Dr Lohia encounters many teen patients looking for fillers to make their nose straighter and without humps, and for the lips and under-eyes because no one wants eye circles on photos. Laser hair removal is another new normal for teenagers.

More often than not, the reasons go beyond bullying or a compulsive craving for a cuter nose, flatter tummy and bigger breasts. 바카라�From a psychological point of view, adults seek to stand out in a crowd; teenagers want to fit in among their peers,바카라� explains psychiatrist Dr Ambrish Dharmadhikari of Mumbai. 바카라�For children, maintaining social media profiles is a full-time, stressful job because they have to get more 바카라�likes바카라� than their peers to be ahead in the game.바카라� It바카라�s being argued that if it바카라�s all about selfies, why don바카라�t they simply use an app to airbrush a self-portrait, rather than opting for cosmetic surgery? Well, any attempt to touch up an image digitally draws more contempt from peer groups, as everyone knows how that person actually looks. 바카라�Flattering filters aren바카라�t enough, and going under the knife seems an easy way out,바카라� Dr Priyadarshan says.

Being a teenager is not easy in an age of rapacious consumption of int­ernet content and narcissistic soc­ial media that thrive on self-promotion. Studies show that teenagers who engage in social media report greater desire to have plastic surgery, comparing their appearance unfavourably to a model바카라�s looks, which in all probability are enhanced through cosmetic surgery or digital media. The definition of beauty has acquired a shape-shifting quality, propelling American showbusiness folk like the Kardashians to iconic status. 바카라�Ess­entially, the world of the Kardashians has made cosmetic surgery accessible and has reduced the fear associated with it,바카라� says ­dermatologist Dr Lohia. Dr Priyadarshan adds, 바카라�Teenage girls come to me with requests for breast augmentations, obviously a result of the Kardashian trend.바카라�

The internet is full of stories, pictures and videos of celebrities exposing their pert derrieres or blowing a pouty kiss after a visit to the plastic surgeon. These are irresistible stimulants. And feeding the frenzy are apps such as Girls Plastic Surgery Doctor that are essentially simulators. 바카라�There are many shows on cosmetic surgeries, educating teens about available options. They portray biased facts. Teenagers try to match the ­unrealistic expectations of beauty standards portrayed on the screen,바카라� Dr Dharmadhikari says. Yet, most doctors called these kids well-inf­ormed about the technicalities of surgical procedures as they read up a lot of material before visiting a surgeon.

But isn바카라�t this urge to alter the way we look a little off? Why do so many of us succumb to the ceaseless pressure to achieve the entertainment ind­ustry바카라�s unattainable beauty standards? Evaluating this thing called beauty from a historical perspective may help us understand its hallucinogenic power over humans across different time periods. Long before the Kardashians warped people바카라�s perceptions of their own bodies, Helen of Troy was the toast of Greece, fawned upon not for her intellect but for her physical perfection. Why and what did the ancient Greeks find so intoxicating about her beauty? Probably, Plato had an answer: the width of an ideal face should be two-thirds its length, and the nose should be no longer than the distance between the eyes, he wrote. But his golden proportions, or fundamental symmetry that people found attractive, don바카라�t hold up in the face of cross-cultural prejudices bec­ause, as Darwin deduced, there is much variance in appearance and preference across human groups.

Not long ago, Chinese men preferred women with small feet; achieved by making little girls wear tiny wooden shoes which they were not allowed to take off through their life. The result: disfigured, crooked and painful feet. The Kayans of Myanmar greatly appreciate gir­affe-like necks; some of their women have necks that are more than a foot long, unnaturally stretched in the clasp of brass rings. Men in one African tribal group liked, or still like, women who insert large discs in their lips. Ankles were all the rage in Shakespearean England. The prejudices of the Victorian age found ref­lection in the work of great authors. Charles Dickens바카라�s slimy Uriah Heep had 바카라�hardly any eyebrows, and no eyelashes, and eyes of a red-brown바카라�. Thomas Hardy바카라�s wholesome Tess of the d바카라�Urbervilles had 바카라�a mobile peony mouth and large innocent eyes바카라�. Are people with no eyelashes less tru­stworthy or those with large eyes more pure? There is no scientific ­evidence to prove that.

What is beauty, after all? Dr Desai explains: 바카라�Society determines its own standard of beauty, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what constitutes a normal ­app­earance. The desire to meet these standards is questionable, and even crosses the line to ­psychopathology.바카라� The good news is that no one is attractive to everyone else바카라�even movie stars are not Universally admired. Someone who may appear plain to most people will surely and sincerely appear ­attractive to somebody else. It is at this point that beauty is in the eye of the ­beholder, surgery or no surgery.

Guidelines

• Parents바카라� consent is a must if the patient is under 18

• The doctor must be ­satisfied with the patient바카라�s capacity to consent, and whether he or she ­supports the procedure

• Teenage patients must be referred to a ­psychologist, psychiatrist or general practitioner ­before surgery to identify any significant ­psychological problems

• Major procedures can happen only three months after consent

Dangers

• Bleeding

• Complications from anaesthesia

• Shock (usually from not getting enough fluid during surgery)

• Fluid accumulation (pockets of fluid forming under the skin)

• Infections

• Fat embolism (when tiny pieces of fat break away and block blood flow)

• Burns from instruments

• Uneven fat removal

• Tissue death (necrosis) and scars (haematoma)

***

What Parents Say

바카라�Every kid has strength that should be honed, app­reciated and encouraged. Looks are the last thing your kid should worry about.바카라�

Swati Bhattachariya, Mother of two and top executive in New Delhi

바카라�My daughter바카라�s front tooth looks like Bugs Bunny바카라�s. Even after braces, there was a gap. We said enough is enough. It is okay to be a little imperfect. 바카라�

Susmita Barman, Mother and content writer in Mumbai

What Parents Can Do

바카라�A chat on what makes one beautiful would help children. Parents can use real-life examples to broaden horizons beyond social media.바카라�

Dr Ambrish Dharmadhikari, Psychiatrist, Mumbai

바카라�Kids should be made to understand that they are unique. The biggest ­blunder a parent can make is to let their teenage kids go under the knife.바카라�

Dr Seema Hingorrany, Clinical psychologist, Mumbai