Common Ground Essay A+ Example PDF

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A+ example of a common ground essay for Dr. Vogel's class. Do not plagiarize....

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1 English 1AH 21 October 2020 Cosmetic Surgery for Minors The prospect of drastically altering one’s appearance without genetic manipulation is enticing to most. Centuries ago, it would seem unthinkable that a human body could be aesthetically transformed with surgery. As celebrities and influencers flaunt their coveted proportions, petite noses, and unmarred skin across social media, the desirability of cosmetic surgery rises. Though these operations are usually marketed to adults, impressionable teenagers already obsessed with their appearances have been seduced by the glamor of plastic surgery. In Jane Friedman’s article for the CQ Researcher “ Cosmetic Surgery,” two conflicting authors explore the pros and cons of cosmetic operations for minors in their article “Should cosmetic surgery be off-limits to teens?”. Specifically, they evaluate how self-esteem does and does not justify surgery for adolescents. Author Arthur L. Caplan, the chair of the Department of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, vehemently believes that cosmetic surgery should be strictly off-limits to minors. First, he believes that parents are unreasonably and irresponsibly encouraging young women in particular to pursue operations such as breast augmentations in the form of a gift for a milestone occasion such as a birthday or graduation. When a mother or grandmother has previously undergone these surgeries, it sets an unhealthy precedent for the daughter or granddaughter to follow in their footsteps. In addition, adolescents are easily fooled into believing that cosmetic surgery will assuage the effects of their low self-esteem and alleviate their unhappiness. Caplan argues that teenage bodies are rapidly developing and that adolescents

2 are frequently reminded by the media or others in their life that their appearance is riddled with imperfections. Teenagers are not given time or a healthy environment to accept and respect their natural bodies in. Caplan disapproves of cosmetic surgeries for minors so greatly that he believes that any surgeon performing an aesthetic procedure on a minor should have their medical license revoked. He reasons that surgeons who operate for cosmetic objectives on minors are taking advantage of their low self-esteem and place finances above ethics. Author Michael J. Olding, the chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the George Washington University School of Medicine, believes that cosmetic operations for teens are appropriate and reasonable. To begin, he notes that surgeries for teens such as rhinoplasties are extremely common and safely performed, as elements of the teenage body such as the nose reach their fully developed size before the age of 18. He cites otoplasty, or ear-pinning surgery, as another example of cosmetic surgery for minors that is acceptable and often recommended. Olding reasons that procedures such as rhinoplasties and otoplasties are necessary for supporting adolescent mental health; if a child is bullied for his abnormally large ears or misshapen nose, he should be allowed to correct the physical problem to avoid long-term psychological stress from bullying and low self-esteem. Olding provides an even more extreme example, adducing reduction of enlarged breasts in both sexes as a necessary procedure for minors. For example, young boys who suffer from gynecomastia are ideal candidates for the surgery, and young girls with macromastia would benefit from a breast reduction surgery in order to alleviate their back and shoulder pain. Olding continues on the controversial topic of breast augmentation for minors and states that girls with markedly asymmetrical breasts or no breasts at all would appreciate an augmentation surgery for self-esteem reasons. Unlike Caplan, Olding believes that cosmetic surgery should be available to minors as it will improve their self-esteem and prevent

3 psychological stress. Though both authors disagree on whether aesthetic procedures should be performed on adolescents, both understand that teenagers are easily influenced by the allure of plastic surgery in the media promoted by an image-obsessed society. Caplan believes surgeons should be completely prevented from performing cosmetic surgeries on minors; in fact, they should lose their license for performing operations such as breast augmentations. In contrast, Olding believes it should be the surgeon's responsibility to determine whether a minor is an appropriate candidate for a cosmetic operation. Caplan, the head of a department of medical ethics, is strongly against cosmetic surgeries for teens and believes that “only those who want to make big money preying on the anxieties and self-doubts of kids could fool themselves into” thinking minors are capable of “making informed decisions about how they want to look” (qtd. in Friedman). Essentially, surgeons who are offering cosmetic surgeries to teenagers are financially benefiting from their low self-esteem, and these adolescents are incapable of deciding if they should make permanent changes to their developing bodies. On the other hand, Olding believes that surgeons should determine which adolescents are appropriate for an operation, stating “It is the duty of any plastic surgeon to determine if patients (and especially teenagers) are good candidates for a procedure. They must have sufficient emotional maturity and realistic goals and expectations” (qtd. in Friedman). Olding advocates for these cosmetic surgeries under the pretenses of ethical, responsible surgeons considering whether certain minors would be right for a procedure. Caplan disagrees with Olding mainly on ethical claims; one of his major points is that several money-driven surgeons will disregard the emotional and psychological maturity of a minor in order to profit from a cosmetic procedure. Given Caplan’s involvement in medical ethics, it is reasonable for him to prioritize ethical standards over a teenager’s desire to surgically alter their appearance. In contrast, Olding is the

4 head of a division of plastic surgery at a major school of medicine, so it is logical for him to advocate for cosmetic procedures for minors. However, he makes an effort to explain that while candidates should not be excluded due to their age, a responsible surgeon should evaluate the candidate’s maturity, expectations, and reason for wanting the surgery before the operation is carried out. Another point both authors disagree on is whether breast alteration should be performed on minors. Usually labeled a controversial surgery in young people, breast augmentation is an operation that appears to have medical and psychological benefits for both sexes. Caplan is strongly against breast augmentation surgery for young girls, remarking “saline breast implants have become a ‘cool’ gift from doting parents,” and that “if purely cosmetic breast augmentation is good enough for grandmom and mom, why shouldn't young women be able to benefit as well?” (qtd. in Friedman). In summary, he believes that when older women in the family receive breast augmentation surgery, it sets an unhealthy precedent for young girls to undergo this operation as well. Olding believes that breast alterations are appropriate under common circumstances such as “reduction of enlarged breasts in boys (gynecomastia) and girls (macromastia),” and in “teenagers with markedly differing breast sizes, or no breast whatsoever, augmentation can alleviate significant psychological strain and improve self-esteem” (qtd. in Friedman). Olding expresses that as long as the surgery is to help both sexes correct an extreme condition with their breasts (underdevelopment, overdevelopment, or asymmetry), breast surgery is completely appropriate for minors. Caplan chooses to focus on the aesthetic side of breast augmentation, further narrowing his argument to include only young girls. He believes that breast augmentation surgery is inappropriate for minors in general, and does not address conditions such as gynecomastia in boys, for example. Caplan also places heavy emphasis on

5 how a girl’s lineage can impact her desire to receive breast augmentation; when the older women in the family support and undergo cosmetic surgery, the young girls will believe these operations are appropriate for them as well. In short, he believes that adoring parents are responsible for enabling their young daughters to consider aesthetic procedures. In comparison, Olding chooses to focus on the clinical side of breast alteration, citing gynecomastia, macromastia, and physical side effects such as back pain stemming from unusually large natural breasts in young girls. On a broader scale, he also discusses breast reduction surgery in both sexes in addition to augmentation. For the latter, he believes that in special cases where breasts are prominently asymmetrical, augmentation surgery is appropriate to mitigate psychological stress and self-confidence issues. While Olding believes that breast-related surgery for minors is appropriate under certain circumstances, Caplan believes any breast augmentation surgery in a minor is completely inappropriate. One area where both authors share a common ground is when addressing the impressionability and fragility of adolescents. Teenagers are frequently dissatisfied with their appearances, which is impacted by the media promoting a society where cosmetic surgery is an "easy solution" for fixing confidence issues. Adolescents constantly worry about how their peers will perceive them based on their appearance. Caplan addresses this when he remarks “adolescents are hugely concerned about their appearance and how their peers see them. This makes them vulnerable to the suggestion that happiness is just a nip and a tuck away” (qtd. in Friedman). To impressionable teenagers, plastic surgery is a glamorous temptation that seems simple to obtain. More importantly, Caplan acknowledges how obsessed teenagers are with their image, which is what Olding discusses as well. Similar to Caplan, Olding states “teenagers are often dissatisfied with their looks, especially in this image-obsessed society. With the advent of

6 reality makeover shows, they believe that ‘ideal’ can be easily accomplished with a knife and a few thousand dollars” (qtd. in Friedman). He expresses that fragile teenagers can be impacted by the media and seduced into believing cosmetic surgery will solve their problems. Interestingly enough, if Caplan’s and Olding’s quotes were switched in their respective opinion columns, it would not impact their main claims. Both authors address how concerned adolescents are with their appearance, which is objectively the root of all desire for cosmetic surgery. Despite Caplan and Olding’s differing views on aesthetic operations for minors, both share common ground when acknowledging the impressionability and vanity of teenagers. Plastic surgery is widely regarded as an ideal way to solve the universal issue of dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. For adolescents who are easily influenced by what the media touts as a tempting route to assuage the common growing pains of low self-esteem, cosmetic procedures sometimes seem like the only way to rise above the miserable awkwardness of puberty. While Arthur L. Caplan, the chair of the Department of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, believes cosmetic surgery should not be available to minors for ethical reasons, Michael J. Olding, the chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the George Washington University School of Medicine, believes that certain cosmetic operations are appropriate for adolescents to improve their physical and psychological wellbeing. Whether or not further restrictions will be placed on cosmetic surgery for minors in the future, as long as the media continues to promote the attractiveness of plastic surgery, teenagers will continue to fantasize about going under the knife.

7 Work Cited Friedman, Jane. "Cosmetic Surgery." CQ Researcher , 15 Apr. 2005, CQ Researcher, p p. 317-44, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2005041506....