Methods/Technique: Adolescents (ages 13-18) and their parents presenting for non-cosmetic procedure-related office visits were surveyed to determine the role that internal and external factors played in general adolescent perception and interest in plastic surgery.
Results/Complications: Fifty adolescents (56% female, mean age of 15.1±5 years), and 50 parents/grandparents (80% female, mean age 41.3±8.3 years) completed the questionnaires. Fathers (n=10) almost uniformly did not have any interest in cosmetic surgery procedures, either for themselves or for their children. Approximately 68% and 34% of mothers and adolescents, respectively, had interest in at least one cosmetic surgery procedure for themselves. Adolescents tended to be much more likely to be interested in a cosmetic procedure (92.3% vs. 7.7%, RR 5.8, 95% CI 1.3-25.8) if their mother also had an interest in at least one cosmetic procedure. Additionally, adolescents with interest in a cosmetic procedure were more likely to have lower self-image and self-esteem, be influenced by prominent figures and family, as well as perceive greater benefits from plastic surgery, though these results did not reach statistical significance. Finally, parents were approving of an adolescent interest in a cosmetic procedure in only 32.4% of cases.
Conclusion: Several internal and external influences affect an adolescent’s interest in a cosmetic procedure. Of these, the family members themselves appear to be a significant influence. Namely, adolescents were nearly six times more likely to consider a cosmetic surgery procedure based on maternal interest in plastic surgery. Other factors, such as influences, perceived benefits, self-image, and self-esteem, played important, albeit smaller, roles as well.