ADOLESCENTS
No Kiddng :: Author: Malini Bhupta and Aditi Pai
India Today
June 25th, 2007.
Among the Indian adolescents in particular, there is a strong accumen to look and feel good. Day by day, more teenagers are opting for a carreer in modelling television show. Particularly, in the age group of 12--16 years, teenagers are making it compulsary to go to beauty clinics or skin care clinics or for cosmetic surgery. Sometimes they are encouraged by their parents.They will not mind to shelldown a hefty sum for their words to feel and look good.
These adolescents are even making a beeline in Spas and Beaty saloons which are normally meant for overstressed working professionals. Some of these Spas have residential packages combining medical solutions,yoga and naturopathy. Even some of these pre-teenagers are celebrating their birthday in a beauty saloon with manicure and pedicure, hair styling with full consent of their mothers. According to child psychologists, it interferes with the child''s development. They may become emotionally vulnerable.
The grooming is the order of the day and the groomung market is booming in India. There are some 300 millions of children in 12--16 years age group. There is a business potential of Rs150 crore and growing rapidly, among these group of children. They want a new look by any means. Be it a Beauty saloon, Spa or Cosmetic surgery or Laser treatment, they will not hesitate to undergo.
In this age of Information technology and exposure to multi media, children are loosing their childhood at an early age. They are taking their own decision --be it dress or cosmetic surgery. In the present society, it has become a cultural ethos to look good. It is the pressure of the society which is driving the children towards beauty saloon or for cosmetic surgery.
A conclusion may be drawn that the children are getting adulthood very fast which may be detrimental to the progress of their educatiopn and personality development. They may become emotionally vulnerable. Though it is compeletely ethical to do cosmetic surgery on the minor children with the consent of their parents, the medical fraternity should comeout with the side effects of cosmetic surgery on these young buds.