A New Nose for a New Year
Written by Craig Rogers, Posted on , in Section Relationships That Matter
The locker shuts with their academic items locked safely inside. There will be no homework for the next couple of weeks, instead it will be filled with family, candy, presents, and a new nose. Wait, what? Last I checked Santa didn’t cary new noses in his bag of presents for good little girls and boys, but there seems to be a growing trend of teenagers getting rhinoplasty over the winter break. This can be a convenient time for teenagers because they generally heal within one week and can be back in school without drawing too much attention.
Why are nose jobs such a big deal
The nose literally plays a central part in the facial features. A nose that may seem unattractive or crooked makes people feel that others are concentrating on their nose instead of them. For both teens and their parents, nose-reshaping surgery may seem like an easy albeit costly method to boost self confidence- and possibly impact future scholastic and social success.
How soon is too soon to get a nose job?
The first step is to analyzing physical maturity, a patient's face and nose must be fully developed. This usually occurs for girls around age 14 or 15, and for boys this may be closer to age 16 to 18. If a teen’s shoe size hasn’t changed in over a year, this usually means that they have reached their full expected height and are probably physically ready. The next step is to look at emotional maturity of the teen, they should be able to describe what they don’t like about their nose, and explain what they hope to gain from surgery. A good answer would be, “I'm happy with the way I look, but I hate how the bridge of my nose looks smashed. It's bothered me for many years, and I would like to get rid of it. I feel that if it was gone, that people could focus on my eyes, and not on my nose.” Teens that give vague answers or have unrealistic expectations may mean that the teen is just not ready.
The teenage years are transformative for many adolescents, and insecurity about their appearance can impact them in many negative ways. Although corrective surgery is a possibility and can help at times, often a boost in confidence in other ways can help.
