Recent developments in medical technology have led to alarming increases in the number of people under the age of 18 going for various operations like plastic surgery, liposuction, skin collagen implants, and other similar procedures simply for the sake of cosmetic changes.

The incidences are usually sparked by mass media, where insecure teenagers undergo cosmetic surgery to try and alter their appearance to look as close as they possibly can to a media personality that they idolize, usually a movie or music idol. Even lacking the desire to fully emulate their idols, peer pressure and the need to Look Good has caused increasing numbers of teenagers to go into liposuction for fat reduction and plastic surgery.

The government has begun to recognize the health problems that might potentially arise from this trend, as well as the potential social ramifications down the line. On one note, health specialists have already recognized that there are inherent risks to getting drastic liposuction for rapid fat removal.

One of these risks involves the system shock that a person’s body suffers from the sudden absence of fat. Another is the dermal surgery that usually accompanies a liposuction to remove the folds of skin that usually result from a liposuction. Both of these health hazards are potential problems even in the best of times, which is why liposuction was originally used as a means of fat removal for people who had few other options available to remove levels of body fat which were approaching toxicity.

To use liposuction purely for cosmetic purposes negates the original intention of it’s designers, and while advances in technology have made it much safer than it’s original design, the risks still remain, though in smaller percentages. Taking that risk purely for the sake of altering one’s physical appearance shows the level of shallowness and lack of discipline that is quickly becoming a problem in today’s youth.

On that note, the social ramifications for the government’s bid against liposuction for teenagers has to do with the effect on the mindset of the youth in general. Even without endorsing it, something as simple as tolerating what is potentially a life threatening procedure to simply cater to a teenager’s vanity is an act that will have far reaching impacts on society. The resulting mindset in the youth will be that physical appearance matters more than substance, intelligence, and personality.

Also, another effect on their mindset will be one that focuses on getting changes Quick and Easy. While weight loss can be achieved through proper diet, exercise, and enough personal discipline, liposuction offers an empty promise of fast and easy weight loss with no effort involved. This will tend to erode the value of personal discipline, training, and effort.

Because of these issues, the government is clamping down on liposuction for teenagers. Congress currently has bills in consideration that will deal with the issues and restrict liposuction to responsible adults of legal age who can and will be held completely responsible for their own actions. Minors still wishing to undergo treatment will be required to have the consent of their parent or guardian.

Furthermore, taking into account the existence of unscrupulous underground clinics that will offer liposuction to anyone who will pay them, the government is also issuing stricter legal penalties for these miscreants to stem the possibility that teenagers will simply visit these shadow clinics once they become barred from the legitimate clinics.