Can Being Bullied Really Lead to Plastic Surgery?

Recently in the news, a 7-year-old girl underwent plastic surgery, reportedly due to bullying.  The procedure is known as otoplasty and designed to help pull back the ears. The girl’s mother reportedly supported the procedure, saying she didn’t want her daughter to be treated poorly for the rest of her life.

After hearing this story, I did more research to determine if plastic surgery for such young children, specifically due to bullying, is really that common.  I was alarmed to find that it is. 

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 30 percent of all children have gone through a plastic surgery procedure in the past 10 years.

In an interview with ABC News, Cheryl Rode, director of clinical operations at the San Diego Center for Children, said that changing appearance is not the solution. Instead, she said the responsibility must lie with the child’s school and other venues as well as with society.  

“We never want to hold the victim responsible for the bullying.”  Rode said to ABC. “It is our responsibility on a national level, not the responsibility of parents of victims to make change happen.”

I couldn’t agree more with Rode. We, as parents, must step up to the plate and take action when an incident of bullying is known.  If I was told that my child was bullying another, I would do whatever it takes to stop my child’s actions.  It’s called consequence.

And accountability. I often tell my children that if they were ever to witness an episode of bullying, I would hope they would step in and put an end to it. 

A bully shouldn’t have the power to push another child over his or her limit, especially not to the point of seeking out a plastic surgeon at such a young age.  Yes, children can be cruel, but the question we should be asking is why?

According to Dr. Peter Sheras, 40 percent of bullies are bullied themselves, either at home or at school. Further research shows that a victim at home is more likely to be a bully at school. One theory supporting this is that when a bully sees another child exhibiting behaviors similar to theirs at home, it disturbs them enough to lash out.

Unfortunately, we cannot control what takes place in someone else’s home or behind closed doors. However, we can control how our children treat others by the way we raise and teach them. As parents, we need to take control, lead by example and teach our kids that bullying is unacceptable.