Teenage Cosmetic Treatments

Teenage Cosmetic Treatments
Is teenage cosmetic treatment ethical? Probably it is not. What do you think?
I had a mother come to see me with her 16-year-old daughter who had very deep tear trough hollowing. She was getting bullied at school, had her ‘A’ Levels coming up and lacked self-confidence. After spending over half an hour talking with the mother and her daughter. I examined her peri-orbital area. Finally, we jointly decided that the daughter, aged 16, would benefit from dermal filler into the tear troughs (TearFill).
I wrote up the report. I then summarised the risks and benefits of non-surgical cosmetic rejuvenation around the eyes. I wanted both mother and daughter to have plenty of time to think about how they would proceed and not rush in.
A week later they came back, and we injected one ml of Restylane delicately. The Restylane contained Lidocaine, and the entry port had a little bit of Lidocaine placed around it. This was to make it more comfortable. Everything was done under clean conditions. The face was cleaned, gloves were worn and everything placed on a sterile trolley. Both the daughter and I wore surgical caps, and we proceeded with the treatment.
I have since heard that she has done very well. She got her ‘A’ Levels and had enjoyed the summer break and will be going to university very soon.
In summary, it is tough for teenagers. The pressures on them are enormous. Pressure from magazines, celebrities, news channels, Twitter, Instagram, reality TV. Occasionally cosmetic treatments can be justified, as long as the teenager is psychologically balanced and there is no evidence of body dysmorphic syndrome (B.D.S.).
Most importantly, both the parent and the teenager and I agree that this is an exception. The psychological benefit for teenage patients at this delicate stage of their life is massive.