Report Says Some Teens Consider Cosmetic Surgery to Combat Teasing

Good Morning America recently looked at how some teens are considering cosmetic surgery in order to avoid teasing or bullying because of their appearance.

One teen that did go through with surgery is high school senior Erica Morgo. She said that she was bullied by her classmates in middle school because of her nose. “They would call me Pinocchio. And in school, in class, people would point it out. I felt helpless. I felt like a loser,” she said.

Erica’s mother, Dana Manzella, allowed Erica, then 15, to undergo nose surgery.

“I think that was definitely a good decision, because it brought her back — her self-esteem back up to be able to do activities that she did before, with comfort,” Manzella said.

Good Morning America reported that nearly 90,000 teenagers had cosmetic surgery in 2007, and doctors say the numbers are growing.

“I do see a fair amount of parents coming in with their child because of bullying and teasing and feelings of self-consciousness,” said cosmetic surgeon Dr. Michael Fiorillo. While his preference is for the teens to work out the issues first, he says there are certain situations where people are mature enough. “And surgery is a final resort,” he added.

Some of the most popular cosmetic surgeries for teenagers include nose jobs, breast reductions, breast augmentations and ear tucks.

Michelle Martin, another teen featured in the segment, waited until she was 19 years old to get a breast augmentation after years of being teased for having a small chest.

Martin said the painful recovery and scars from the surgery were a small price to pay to make up for the scars left by years of teasing and feelings of inadequacy. She said she “absolutely” feels prettier.

“This was just something to make me feel better. To make me happy. To make me feel like a beautiful woman,” said Martin.