There are all kinds of reasons that adults get plastic surgeries. Increased self-confidence, feeling more comfortable physically or psychologically, or to help improve their odds on the career or dating marketplace. Still, for many children and young people preventing or reducing bullying is often one of the primary motivations. While some adults tend to minimize the importance of bullying as just “kids being kids,” anyone who’s been continually bullied at any age can tell you that the humiliation can stay with a person the rest of their life. And, in the cases of the far too many young people lost to suicide every year, it really can end a life.

Of course, most cases are far milder than that, but it’s easy to see why parents often want to invest in procedures like ear pinning so that their offspring wont’ be made fun of for “bat ears.” Of course, it’s an individual choice. Former President Barack Obama’s rather far-from-the-head ears certainly don’t seem to have harmed his ability to be happy or successful. On the other hand, countless children and teens can find themselves marked for bullying by what might seem like very minor imperfections to grown-ups. If parents decide that a plastic surgery can prevent the issue, there’s no reason to second guess them.

Of course, in a better world, young people wouldn’t bully each other, and neither would adults. Nevertheless, children and their parents have to deal with the world as it is. Childhood can be difficult to get through even without having a physical issue that sets us apart in a negative way. Here at Beverly Hills Physicians, we’re happy to help our younger patients make things a little easier for themselves.