For most teens, a graduation present is a nice new car of their very own.
For some it is a nice new pair of breasts.
The trend of teenager breast implants is growing by leaps and bounds.
Thousands of teens get breast augmentation every year, and the number is growing.
It is still a small percentage of all teenage girls, but the number doubles or triples yearly.
Why is this? We could easily point the finger at many young celebrities (no, they're all natural, I swear!), but we'd be ignoring a much bigger issue.
Teenage girls with small, undeveloped breasts have to endure jokes, teasing, and blow to their already low self-esteem.
The Dangers Of Teenage Breast Enlargement Ask many plastic surgeons about getting breast enlargement for your teenage daughter, and you'll be met with scorn.
After all, what kind of parent would expose their child to the risks of breast implants? The fact is, many medical health professionals frown at the idea, but teenage breast enhancement is no riskier than the same thing for adults.
There is the possibility of silicon leak or scarring, but modern methods of breast implant surgery have reduced these risks significantly.
The only problem that could develop as a result of the operation would be the case where a girl had not stopped growing yet.
If the breasts are not fully formed, and for some girls it may not be until college, it may mean having a second operation done in a few years to straighten things out.
For most girls, their breasts are done growing at 16.
Asymmetry And Other Problems When you think of breast enhancement, you might imagine a movie star or prom queen, but actually many girls have less vain reasons for wanting to increase their breast size.
A large number of teenage breast enlargement candidates are those with asymmetrical breasts, who want to balance out what nature's given them.
A girl may complain to her mom that her breasts are lopsided or uneven, and the response will usually be something like, "You're not there yet.
Let nature finish the job.
" What they don't realize is that it may be a more serious problem than that, and nature may never get around to fixing it.
Breast asymmetry can be embarrassing and socially ostracizing, at a time when young women are most vulnerable.
Furthermore, it may continue to be a problem into adulthood.
Breast enhancement surgery to fix asymmetries can be small.
You don't have to go in for the full-blown implants.
A simple tissue expander could do the trick in most cases.
Feeling Better About Yourself Breast implants can give teenage girls a desperately-needed boost to their self-esteem.
If a teenager can be more outgoing and confident, it will keep them from falling into the common traps of adolescence caused by peer pressure and low self-esteem.
The important thing is to go to a doctor for counseling first.
The doctor will help you decide if your teen is psychologically able to handle having the surgery.
This can be a major factor in whether it's the right choice or not.
Teenage girls are much more likely than adult women to have severe distortions in their body image.
You need to make sure that the operation will solve the problem.
It is also important that you and your daughter know what to expect, and what not to expect, from the surgery.
Breast enhancement is exactly that - enhancement.
She needs to know that new breasts won't make all her dreams come true! If you are thinking about breast enhancement surgery for your teen, talk to a qualified plastic surgeon first and get their opinion.
Most clinics do teen breast enlargement work, so they should have no problem telling you what to expect.