When is too young for breast surgery?
When CNN News reported the tragic death of an 18-year-old Florida girl during breast surgery earlier this month, it underscored the seriousness with which any surgical procedure should be viewed, says Dr. Ben Lee, double-board certified plastic surgeon. In this particular news story, the surgery was performed by a doctor in West Boca Raton, Florida to correct the young lady’s breast asymmetry when she went into malignant hyperthermia and died.
The condition called malignant hyperthermia is rare and the vast majority of plastic surgeries performed on healthy people do not result in complications or even death, Dr. Lee explains.
Still, any elective medical decision is just that—a decision—and should be taken seriously and entered into thoughtfully.
Dr. Lee spends extensive time with his patients prior to treatment reviewing their concerns, goals and overall reasons for desiring surgery in the first place. “It’s important that a patient wants surgery for themselves, not at the behest of a partner, boyfriend or husband,” says Dr. Lee. “I counsel with the patient to ascertain if their goals regarding any surgery are realistic before scheduling the procedure.”
To ensure that a patient is making a wise, informed and realistic choice in surgery—especially breast augmentation—Dr. Lee recommends the patient be over 18.
Additionally a full evaluation of a patient’s health is important when any surgical procedure is performed, Dr. Lee says. Adherence to recovery instructions after the surgery is very important, explains the Doctor, as the procedures he and his staff recommend a patient follow after surgery are designed to streamline recovery, net optimum results and ensure that the patient is comfortable.