It's beyond words

Florida high school senior Stephanie Kuleba had everything going for her -- she was the well-liked captain of her varsity cheerleading team at West Boca High School, and she had been accepted to the University of Florida, where she hoped to study medicine...According to just released data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 348,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in 2007, a 64 percent increase from 2000....

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that between 2002 and 2003, the number of women and girls younger than 18 who got breast implants nearly tripled, from 3,872 to 11,326. ...

Doctors also say they are seeing more parents giving their teens the gift of new breasts or other cosmetic surgery for milestones like birthdays or graduations.

"I've seen an increase in teens having plastic surgery, and certainly for graduation," said Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg, a New York plastic surgeon and the author of "A Little Nip, A Little Tuck."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/PainManagement/story?id=4520099
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Oy vey. I just don't get it. What message are we giving to young women that so many need to undergo such extreme measures? Obviously we reinforce in them that breast size (any physical trait, really) is more important than it should be. Is this a reflection of our society that demands instant gratification, whereby a person undergoes butchering (ooops, I mean gastric bypass) rather than a sensible way to get one's weight under control? By the way, the medical community lies about mortality rates in most surgeries. They claim gastric bypass is lower than 5%, when it is probably closer to 10% or more for men. Just from personal experience, I know 9people who had the operation. 2 died, and 2 gained their weight back. And one has been so sick in the 5 years since her operation she almost wishes she died. Not exactly a scientific sample, but sure doesn't convince me that the doctors are telling everyone the truth.
I'm willing to bet it's the same with breast augmentation surgery. I'm sure they sold Stephanie Kubela and her parents on the safety of the operation. So, a young woman with the promise of a great life before her, died from complications of an operation she did not need.

It's beyond words.