Fw: More on British 15 year old (not) getting implants ~ 2 articles

[Guest guest]

From: ilena rose <ilena@...>

Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 10:38 AM

Subject: More on British 15 year old (not) getting implants ~ 2 articles

> (Note on second article ... this story will be featured in Britain on

their

> Channel 4 ... same channel that aired the PR piece for the manufacturers

> " Storm in a D Cup. " )

>

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1102000/1102117.stm

>

> Friday, 5 January, 2001, 13:43 GMT

> Law call on teen breast ops

>

> Jenna lin: wants breast enlargement operation

>

> A leading doctor has called for the law to be reviewed in the wake of a

> controversial case where a mother offered to buy a young daughter a breast

> enlargement operation.

>

> He is calling for a law on consent to safeguard children and the doctors

> assessing them for cosmetic surgery.

>

> Dr Wilkes, chairman of the British Medical Association's ethics

> committee, said the lack of a law meant doctors were forced to make a

> decision based on their own interpretation of each case that came before

> them.

>

> Dr Wilkes also said teenagers should not have cosmetic breast surgery

> unless there were good clinical reasons.

>

> " It should absolutely not be because they don't like the size. "

>

> He added: " Clearly someone of 15 who wants their breasts altered has some

> underlying issues about what they're ideal shape is. "

>

> He told BBC News Online that the shortage of official guidance for doctors

> left them and patients in a state of confusion.

>

> " There is not a statutory law of consent. That's the problem. "

>

> Children under 16 can currently give consent for medical treatment,

> including surgery.

>

> It is down to the individual doctor to take clinical and psychological

> consequences into consideration.

>

> Teenage op

>

> On Thursday, the case of Jenna lin hit the headlines.

>

> Her mother Kay had said she would buy Jenna, now 15, a breast enlargement

> operation for her 16th birthday in August, to prevent her having

" hang-ups "

> about her body.

>

> But after their chosen surgeon refused to operate until Jenna was at least

> 18, Mrs lin backed down.

>

> She said she would not be a responsible parent if she did not heed the

advice.

>

> Having my breasts enlarged will give me more self-confidence

>

> Jenna lin

>

> Jenna earlier told BBC News: " You've got to have breasts to be successful.

> Every other person you see on television has had implants

>

> " I used to pray my boobs would grow. Then I just thought, what's the point

> when I can have implants when I want? "

>

> " I just want to be happy with my body and I think having my breasts

> enlarged will give me more self-confidence. "

>

> Jenna, whose parents run a cosmetic surgery business, said she wanted to

> have the operation since the age of 12.

>

> Some operations necessary

>

> Dr Wilkes said he would not rule out cosmetic breast operations on girls

of

> 16 or less because some did have clinical needs.

>

> Women can have asymmetry of the breasts, where one is significantly bigger

> than the other.

>

> There could also be cases where young women needed surgery to cover up

> scars or disfigurement.

>

> Dr Wilkes said: " Every case must be considered on its merits. "

>

> But he added cosmetic breast surgery should be the exception rather than

> the rule in teenage girls.

>

> " A full history must be taken. It's especially important in cosmetic

> surgery, to be aware about the clinical issues, but also the psychological

> and body image issues too. "

>

> The BMA has just issued guidance to doctors on consent in children for all

> kinds of treatment.

>

> Dr Wilkes said : " It's quite clear that every young person may have the

> chance to make decisions about their health care.

>

> " But for many young people, especially young women, you have to be

> extremely cautious about doing plastic surgery with anyone under the age

of

> 16. "

>

> Full consultation needed

>

> Cosmetic surgeons, he said, must always talk to the patient, of whatever

> age about why they want the operation, and even try to dissuade them from

> going through with surgery if they felt it was inappropriate.

>

> He said anyone who did not could face the GMC.

>

> Children can legally give consent to have treatment, or surgery without

> telling their parents.

>

>

> It is up to the doctor to decide if the child is old enough to make his or

> her own decisions.

>

> But where parents are involved, they do have the right to refuse treatment

> on behalf of their children.

>

>

> ~~~~~~

>

> UK doctor says 15-year-old too young for breast op

>

>

> LONDON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - A 15-year-old British schoolgirl, offered breast

> implants as a 16th birthday present from her parents, has been told by

surgeons

> that she is too young to undergo plastic surgery.

>

> Jenna lin, whose parents run a cosmetic surgery business, said an

> operation to increase her breasts would give her more self confidence and

make

> her happy with her body.

>

> But consultant plastic surgeon, Erian, who was approached by

and

> Kay lin to perform surgery on their daughter, said that Jenna - 16 in

> August - was too young to cope with the implications of the controversial

> operation.

>

> " Breast augmentation is a good operation, it helps a lot of people, " Erian

told

> the BBC. " But I feel at 16 the breast isn't matured enough and that there

are

> also a lot of psychological implications. "

>

> Erian said that the family should wait until Jenna is 18 until deciding to

go

> ahead with a breast enhancement.

>

> Jenna's parents said they were happy for their daughter to have the 3,250

pound

> operation, but added that they would respect Erian's advice.

>

> " If he says 16 is too young for Jenna to have the operation than we will

> respect that and she will have to wait until she is 18, " Kay lin

said.

> " I'm sure she may not be happy with that but if we were to do anything

else

> then we wouldn't be responsible parents. "

>

> Jenna is scheduled to appear next week on a Channel 4 documentary called

> " Perfect Breasts. "

>

>