Nevergirl's

Will you give your graduate the gift of surgery? Do you really have the funds, the liberalism, and the moxie to go, “Congratulations, daughter. Here’s money for a new nose.”?

If you answered yes just for the sheer fun of it, you’re not alone. Parents are actually giving their graduates the gift of surgery, and the number of parents who do this has grown. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, teens comprise two percent of cosmetics surgery patients in the U.S. In 2006 alone, 244,124 teens went under the knife for various procedures. Think 9,000 kids aged 13 to 19 getting breast implants. Think 47,000 of the same age group getting Jersey plastic surgery for a nose job.

If you’re appalled by those figures, here’s one more piece of statistic that makes it even worse: the number of teens who actually get the gift of cosmetics surgery is only a fraction of those who asked for it.

Back in my time, photo albums, dresses, books, and pieces of jewelry counted as presents. Today, academic achievement is rewarded with a boob job or a nip or tuck. These are strange times we live in.

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Source: Way to go, grad! Here’s a check for a new nose
2008, MSNBC Interactive