George Bitar MD interviewed on WBAL Radio about Teen Plastic Surgery

George Bitar MD (http://www.drbitar.com), Northern Virginia plastic surgeon and medical director of the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute was interviewed by Shari Elliker on the WBAL 1090 AM, Baltimore's renowned radio station. With plastic surgery for teen-agers on the rise, WBAL had a special segment on that subject. The heated debate was centered around 12-year old Brooke Bates from Texas who had undergone liposuction and tummy tuck procedures resulting in the removal of 35 pounds of fat and skin. She had gained the weight back and chose to undergo a lap band operation in Mexico.

Dr. George Bitar disagreed with performing liposuction over 10 pounds on anyone, especially a 12 year old girl who is too young to comprehend the magnitude of the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery.

Dr. George Bitar was asked about the appropriate age for different procedures that teens request such as rhinoplasties (http://www.drbitar.com/rhinoplasty.php), liposuction (http://www.drbitar.com/liposuction.php), and breast augmentations (http://www.drbitar.com/breast-augmentation.php). He stated that the decision to operate on a teenager is a complex one. It involves the patient’s level of maturity, appropriateness of the operation, and support system. Bitar performs ear pinning on teenagers with prominent ears at any age because the rewards outweigh the risks in this relatively simple operation. He offers rhinoplasties to appropriate patients who are at least 16 years old due to maturity reasons and the ability to handle the long healing process. Breast Augmentations, which have now become a popular high school graduation gift, are more complicated. This specific procedure involves a permanent foreign object placed in the girl’s breast with a small but real possibility of long term problems. For that reason, he would only offer breast augmentations for girls who are 18 years or older. Last but not least, Bitar stressed that cosmetic surgery is a decision not to be taken lightly and preferably approached with the consent and cooperation of the teen’s parents.