Fury over the story of a five-year-old with Down’s Syndrome who had several cosmetic surgical procedures to appear “normal” is gaining traction. The family of Georgia Bussey lives in the UK. Her parents have allowed three cosmetic surgeries to be performed on Georgia over her brief life. Critics have called this “radical and painful,” child abuse, and more. The Bussey’s have responded by claiming the cosmetic surgeries were performed so she can “fit in” with her peers.
Procedures performed
- Reducing her tongue to keep it from protruding
- Removing skin from the inner corners of her eyes,
- Ear surgery to keep them from sticking out
Her mother, Kim, says, “Society is not going to change overnight – so Georgia has to fit into society, rather than society fitting into the way she is.” Now, that’s parenting.
Another Case on the Horizon
Laurence and Chelsea Kirwan are considering cosmetic surgery for their two-year-old daughter, Ophelia, who also has Down’s Syndrome. Laurence Kirwan is a cosmetic surgeon, and Chelsea Kirwan has gone through cosmetic surgery herself. They believe that changing their daughter’s appearance will help her be accepted.
At the heart of both of these cases is that society judges individuals based on looks. It’s true that many people go through to raise their esteem, and it’s true that many people in society judge others based solely on appearance. As evidenced by the rise in numbers of cosmetic surgery patients, are too many people buying into this outlook?
Most Cosmetic Surgeons Take an Ethical View
A majority of cosmetic surgeons will encourage people to do this for themselves, and not for others. While some young people do have ear surgery, breast reduction surgery, and rhinoplasty, they have thought about it and (hopefully) talked it through with their parents. There are also cosmetic surgeons who won’t see anyone under certain ages, either because the procedures seem to be the parents’ idea, or because the teenager may “grow into” whatever area they think is imperfect.
We can’t say the same for these two young girls with Down’s Syndrome. Even if they could speak beyond their years, they still suffer from a condition that no amount of cosmetic surgery will take away. They still have Down’s Syndrome on the inside.
If you are considering cosmetic surgery for your young child, please contact an experienced cosmetic surgeon who has done procedures on young people. He or she will answer any question you might have on this issue.
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