According to USA Today, more and more kids are going under the knife or laser or lipo tube - to get the look they want. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that more that 160,000 children 18 and under had cosmetic procedures last year. While some are for cleft palates or disfiguring birthmarks, kids are also having more controversial procedures, like “Asian eye” surgery - to widen the appearance of eyes in people of Asian descent.  

Donn Chatham is president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He says that most kids going under the knife are merely looking to improve an awkward but functional feature - such as a large nose or big thighs. Surprisingly, many parents and surgeons believe that if the technology is there and a child would benefit emotionally – then there’s no harm done. Take 8-year-old Ryan Cunningham. He was born without an outer ear, but with perfect hearing. His mother asked a cosmetic surgeon to build an ear for Ryan after she heard another parent pointing out his deformity during a playdate.

In other cases, it’s the child’s wish. When Kate Deleve was 16, she asked her parents if she could have liposuction on her calves, which she felt were disproportionate to the rest of her body. Her parents agreed, and Kate – now 21 – says it drastically improved her self-image. Chatham says there’s less of a taboo about plastic surgery than ever before. Also, many parents are undergoing cosmetic surgery themselves, and may feel that for their children - it’s not such a stretch. Of course, there are plenty of people who think that plastic surgery for kids is just wrong period.