When Is the Right Time to Make Teens’ #1 Cosmetic Enhancement Wishes Come True?

I am proud to have earned the accolade “master of rhinoplasty” from both patients and my peers around the world. Like many of my colleagues, I work hard to refine my skills, learn new techniques and keep current on issues that affect my patients.

Cosmetic enhancement for young people, particularly rhinoplasty for 18 year olds and over, is one of those issues.

3 Benefits of Rhinoplasty for Teens

Teen rhinoplasty is a physical transformation that can also transform a young person’s self-image. Many of the young people I’ve operated on have come back to thank me for performing a nose job that

• Improved their nose aesthetically
• Created facial harmony
• Improved their self-confidence

Of course, many teen patients at About Face want to have a nose job for purely medical reasons and have thanked me for a rhinoplasty that

• Improved breathing
• Reduced snoring
• Eased chronic sinus damage
• Repaired a broken nose

AAFPRS Explains 3 Reasons Why Teenage Nose Jobs Are In-Demand

According to a report issued by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, teenagers want nose surgery more than any other surgical procedure. Based on my experience talking with teenagers and their parents at my practice, I’m not surprised.

Young people pay a huge emotional price when they are unhappy with the central feature of their face. The report cites these three reasons as key motivators driving teens to want to change their distinctive facial feature:

• Embarrassment
• Awkwardness
• Unworthiness

What I must explain to teenagers who would like to have rhinoplasty is that a nose job is not a cure-all. A re-contoured nose changes your appearance, not your life.

Dr Marcells, How Young Is Too Young for Rhinoplasty?

Prematurely disturbing mid-centre facial growth can lead to abnormal development of the face. During my career, I’ve developed the expertise and experience to evaluate teen facial growth and determine whether the time is right for rhinoplasty, generally not before the age of 16.

Beyond that age, there are other medical considerations that must be explored. I use the time during the first consultation to get to know my patients and ensure they are ready for rhinoplasty. I perform a medical exam and discuss a prospective patient’s medical history as well as their reasons for seeking to change their noses.

Dr Marcells 3-Question Emotional Pulse-Check for Teenage Rhinoplasty

I am always careful to discuss at length my prospective teenage patient’s reasons, goals, and expectations for rhinoplasty. Among the questions I ask are:

• Why do you want to get a nose job at this time?
• What do you think will change after you have a rhinoplasty?
• Is this something you are doing for yourself or to please someone else (a girlfriend or boyfriend, a parent, etc.)?

A red flag for me is prospective patients who say they want a nose just like their favourite film or TV star. This suggests an unacceptable level of emotional immaturity and is often a reason for me to recommend against the procedure.

About Face in Bondi Junction is most emphatically not a “cookie cutter” practice. I take great care to help each of my patients find a “personal best” in a facial appearance that enhances their natural assets. I strive to ensure that the results each patient achieves are uniquely beautiful.

When a prospective patient says they want to look like someone else, I like to quote Oscar Wilde:

Be yourself,
everyone else is already taken

If you have questions about rhinoplasty for teenagers and other age-appropriate cosmetic enhancement procedures, please use our online enquiry form or call About Face on 1300 555 095. It would be a pleasure to talk with you.