The American Society of Plastic Surgery recently announced that teens are having plastic surgery in soaring numbers. What lies beneath this increase, doctors say, may be insecurity that needs to be dealt with in other ways, and parents need to step in.

In 2003, 225,000 teenagers had plastic surgery compared to only 60,000 in 1997. In 2010, 218,909 individuals aged 13-19 underwent some kind of cosmetic procedure. The most frequent types of cosmetic procedures teens opt for are chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser hair removal and even more invasive surgeries such as breast augmentation and breast reduction.

There are different sets of factors, many of which are self-esteem-based. Some teens that decide to undergo a procedure may simply be trying to correct physical defects or to alter body parts that make them uncomfortable.

Doctors are urging parents to find out what is fueling their teens’ desire for cosmetic surgery, as it’s important that they have realistic expectations about the process and outcome. Plus, young men and women need to understand that if it is a serious self-esteem or self-image issue, surgery is not a quick fix.

In the meantime, experts predict the instances of teen plastic surgery will continue to rise.

SOURCE: The American Society of Plastic Surgery