Teenage cosmetic surgery - is it right?

Cosmetic surgery amongst teenagers is on the increase. Girls as young as 18 are rushing to have breast enlargement surgery in an attempt to copy celebrities like Katie Price and Victoria Beckham.

The number of girls having the procedure has more than doubled in a year. Figures from the country's largest three cosmetic surgery chains show that almost 600 teenage girls had their breasts enlarged last year.

A problem of body image Doctors say young women are reading weekly reports in magazines of celebrities who have altered their bodies by going under the knife and want to do the same. One group has reported a more than fivefold increase. Transform, which has a chain of 22 clinics, performed 169 breast enlargements on 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds, up from 31 the year before. Some clinics even offer credit with 0% interest. The procedure at anywhere between £4,000 and £5,000 is out of reach for most teenagers, but the credit deals on offer make it more attractive. Shami Choudhry, a spokeswoman for Transform, said: "Young women read in magazines about personalities, like Chantelle, who have had breast augmentations and have a great influence on teenagers."

Choudhry was referring to Chantelle Houghton, 24, from Brentwood, Essex, who won Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother in 2006 and has since had her breasts enlarged.

Houghton, who models Ultimo underwear, told Love It! magazine last month: "I had my boobs enlarged from a 32B to a 32E to boost my self-confidence." She is said to have opted for the surgery when she went down a cup size after dieting. Victoria Beckham is also widely reported to have had breast implants.

Other plastic surgery groups have experienced a similar increase in demand. But is the increase in cosmetic surgery simply due to our fascination with looking like celebrities or does society's overall problem with body image go much deeper?  Why are our kids so desperate to look like Chantelle Houghton or Victoria Beckham? What happened to being happy as we are or being judged on our achievements? Are you 18 or 19 and desperate to have your breasts enlarged? Have you already had it done? Or are you a parent of someone who wants it? Let us know what you think by joining the debate on the forum. Click here to go to the forum.

Personally, as someone who had to be dragged into hospital kicking and screaming to have minor surgery (well not kicking maybe - not with that knee - ouch!), I wouldn't go under the knife if they paid me. A nip here and a tuck there would be wonderful if I wasn't so scared of the anaesthetic, MRSA and the possible risk of scarring and one's boobs exploding on a plane journey, yet these teenagers seem to think nothing of it.

It's a scary thought. Next we'll be having implants to make our bottoms bigger.....

Veronika
Health & Beauty Editor

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