So your teen wants a fox brow?
THE INS AND OUTS OF COSMETIC PROCEDURES
In the past, plastic surgery and cosmetic enhancements were just as prevalent but less openly shared. With the rise of the TikTok influencer, cosmetic procedures have become “more out there.”
Dr. Bawasa states:
“When I have a 25 y/o requesting lip filler, anti-wrinkle injections or a breast augmentation, they first take a selfie in my consulting room and share the image on their social media platforms or “check-in”.”
“In my opinion, plastic surgery is more acceptable, more talked about and more pursued by my younger patients- requesting what is trending on social media.”
THE PRESSURE TO BE PERFECT
When we present workshops with teenagers, we often have discussions around the pressure to be perfect. Smart phones not only invite you to look at a world of beautiful faces and the perfection they portray, but in selfie mode, they also reflect your perceived imperfections back at you. This invites comparison. In measuring their looks to the fake perfection portrayed on platforms, teenagers often feel they fall short.
Dr Bawasa adds that in her opinion, current beauty trends range between achievable norms and almost unattainable ‘perfection’. On the unattainable perfection side of the spectrum, patients see procedures on social media and want to emulate that appearance – for example the ‘fox brow’.
“In my opinion, in the past, beauty was defined as simple elegance with minor enhancement in facial and body proportions. It was the enhancement of a simple feature that was unique to an individual and this made them stand out in the crowd.”
“Today we often see extremes being considered beautiful.”
The ‘Brazilian Butt Lift’ being popularised to create large curvaceous buttocks and the ‘Russian Lip’ which over-emphasizes a beautiful full lip. The requests are now based on an individual wanting to emulate another individual or an international trend rather than the client focusing on enhancing their own unique features and traits.”
THE ROLE INFLUENCERS PLAY
From around 13 years of age, adolescents go through a normal developmental stage turning their gaze away from their parents and towards their peers for guidance. Today their peers are not just the friends in their classroom, but also their digital social universe with whom they form a parasocial trust relationship.
“Teens are often vulnerable, their facial features are still changing and developing, and yet they feel an immense sense of pressure to ‘look’ a certain way.”
“Reality TV and ‘reels’ have aided in promoting the desire for younger teens to strive towards achieving a ‘stereotypical’ appearance of what is considered beautiful. This is not always realistic or necessary. As a plastic surgeon, it remains my responsibility to continually educate the younger patient requesting cosmetic treatments and to defer if unjustified,” Dr Bawasa says.
THE RISK OF MISINFORMATION
By combining technology and modern medicine anyone has the tools to be whoever they want to be. However, influencers are rarely doctors and cosmetic procedures are still medical. Therefore, there is a risk of misinformation when influencers promote surgical procedures.
According to Dr. Bawasa: “Teenagers often come in requesting new treatments seen on Instagram or TikTok. Known treatments are re-invented by giving them new catchy names which are most certainly not found in published medical literature. It becomes difficult to know what a patient is really asking for when treatments are ‘re-named.’ The danger lies in the fact that when I ask them to explain what they are wanting, the medical indications and how the treatment brings about the requested change is not always known by the client.”
In #FillerNation Dr. Dendy Engelman adds to Dr. Bawasa’s sentiments by stating: “I don’t mind influencers that talk about their personal experience and what it was like. Influencers certainly have a role, and they can be a great source of education. What I don’t love is when it’s like, ‘Let me be the expert.’”
“The main danger of unregulated medical / procedural posts is that the complications of procedures are not always shown. This creates the impression that procedures are safe, can be performed by anyone and that there is with very little that can go wrong. Unfortunately, as a plastic surgeon, it is these complications that we often see and must try to correct,” adds Dr.Bawasa.
A WORLDWIDE BEAUTY CONTEST
Being on social media places teenagers in a worldwide beauty contest that can be measured in likes, follows and comments. It is concerning that our children’s unique selves are weighed against popular beauty norms that are often unattainable.
“When I was at school, social media was non-existent. The most our phones could do was play snake.”
“Tweens today are not only contending with their own classroom peers, but the pressure of fitting into a world which they access and “live in” because of reels and vlogs. Their external appearance and the need to conform has suddenly become more important than their emotional intelligence,”
says Dr.Bawasa.
Raising tweens and teens in a world where beauty has become rather one-dimensional can be tricky. Fostering a healthy self-esteem in your child and embracing their unique look, only to see these sentiments broken down by the norms depicted on social media can be disheartening.
As a mother and a plastic surgeon, Dr. Bawasa offers the following guidance to parents raising teens in the digital era:
- Educate your children from a young age about individuality.
- Instill in them confidence in both their attributes as well as their self-perceived flaws.
- Ensure them that that there is no goal / standard towards which they need to strive: Yes everyone’s’ eyebrows and jawlines may be looking the same now, but trends come and go.
- Remind them that what you do to your body and face now, has long term effects so these procedures should not be taken lightly.
- Always guide them back to the fact that social media only provides a filtered snapshot of someone’s life and appearance.
- Teach your children that they can be proud of their authentic selves without the make-up and lights.
GET TO KNOW DR.BAWASA:
Dr Keshara Bawasa is a Port Elizabethan by heart who matriculated from Theodor Herzl High School in 2004. She completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degrees (MBChB) at Stellenbosch University in 2010.
She then returned home and spent the next 3 years completing her internship and community service in the Port Elizabeth Hospital Complex- a place of true learning where much experience was gained.
“Finding my passion in surgery lead me to pursue my career as a specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon through the College of Medicine of South Africa. I was proud to graduate in March 2019 at the age of 32 – one of the youngest plastic surgeons in South Africa.”
