Messages By: illinois_queen

        I dont think everyone is thinking about the big picture.  From one point of view all people can think about a child getting plastic surgery is "How terrible; Our children should be accepted for what's on the inside, not by their external beauty."  But someone who says that is not logically placing himself in the childs shoes.  The reality of it is that our society is CONSUMED with beauty, with plastic surgery, with the way one looks.  It's a tough, hard, life, I know, but it is what it is and it's not going to be different if one child is taught that society cares about her character more than looks.  It's human instinct to judge the first thing we see-the appearance.  That's not about to change.

         That being said, I'm 16 years old and I had a nose job last summer.  I do not consider myself immature- I'm in line to be a valedictorian and received PSAT scores above 77 (out of 80) on each section, so please don't think I'm ignorant or stupid.  I got rhinoplasty because I had thought very carefully about it, and realized that my self-esteem had been so greatly affected by the hump on my nose that it simply wasn't worth the $6,000 I'd save to go through the rest of my life in such emotional distress.  After I got my surgery, I no longer felt like I was being judged by my face, so it was much easier for me to talk to other people, so look at myself, to be a normal teenager.

        You're probably wondering what my point is.  I'm trying to say that it is not FAIR or RIGHT for a person to judge whether someone, a child or not, should get plastic surgery, because you don't and WILL NEVER know what that person has gone through.  That would be like a person with a high metabolism telling a fat person about to get liposuction to just go on a diet because diets are what works for thin people.  But that thin person simply doesnt know what that fat person has gone through, so its not up to her to tell the fat person to or not to get liposuction.  As far as Im concerned, no one should ever judge a person if he got liposuction because he simply couldn't get rid of the weight; people whove been thin forever dont understand what its like to be fat; people who dont have humps on their noses dont understand what its like to have that abnormality; tall people never understand what its like to be shorter than everyone elseetc.etc. 

        So to all of you who think teenage plastic surgery is wrong, think again.  I hope you will recognize that every person is unique and affected by his own physical faults in his own way, and it is SELFISH, PIGGISH, CRUEL and CRUDE to assume that you know what a person has gone through in his life.

I can understand where many of the replier's views come from, but plastic surgery is much more common than many of you may think.  Do you know anyone who's had braces for cosmetic reasons? **DING DING DING** Plastic surgery alert!  We don't bash orthodontists for giving plastic surgery to teens or preteens on their teeth... how is lypo or breast augmentation so different?  Or does it specifically matter what tissue is being altered: bone or fat cells?  I'm not saying I agree with or disagree with plastic surgery in teens.  I just think that some of you should realize the inconsistencies in your arguments.

Do you people hate plastic surgery because it costs so much?  Or is it because it changes the way you look?  Think about how many women wear makeup to make themselves look better; is wrong to show society that you have thicker eyelashes when they're caked with mascara?  Or do you think that my example is baseless because makeup is not a permanent change like plastic surgery?

One more thing: I have researched plastic surgery over a number of years.  To those of you who believe 12 is too young to have nasal surgery, doctors disagree.  12-13 years of age in girls is acceptable for physical reasons, because girls' faces are mature by that age (although it may vary a bit from person to person).  The only reason a doctor won't give surgery to a ready-to-pay customer of that age is if he isn't mentally mature enough to handle the drastic change.

But then again, I'm sure that kid asking for surgery has had braces.  So why not let him get another plastic procedure, parents?

I think bulling at school needs to be stopped one way are another. My Grandson was going to school here in Cameron, Texas, & almost ever day he was bullied by some children. He is a very sensitive, caring, & loving boy & little over weight for his age. Everyday he would go home crying because kids made fun of him, called him names & hit on him. They would say vulgar words to him. by all means he is not an Gael either, but he has had to go to ER 's because of some of things that has happen. He would always get punished at school for something the other kids was doing. My daughter went to the school numerous of times to talk to the principal & they always said that they would watch & see. Well, the next day would be the same old thing. She would go again. He was failing in almost all classes here. Nothing ever was done. So this year, my daughter changed schools for him & his younger sister. It is a much smaller school district & now there is no more bulling & he is passing with A's & B's. That is the difference in a child that is being bullied. It must stop. To all parents out thee, pay attention to what your children tell you. Investigate it at school like my daughter did. She saw things with her own eyes & that didn't even help. So really pay attention to your children. That may make all the difference. We love all our children no matter who they are. Thank you for reading this. I hope things get better in school. Dr. Phil, YOU PUT A STOP TO THIS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

dladler This is for my loving Grandson