Cosmetic controversy.

Interest in cosmetic surgery is increasing among teenagers in Tasmania, with one plastic surgeon reporting that 30-50 teenagers per year contact him with inquiries about treatments such as rhinoplasty, liposuction, breast enhancement and ear pinning. Despite the increased interest, Tasmanian Health Minister Lara Giddings said that Tasmania was not considering a ban on teenagers accessing plastic surgery for cosmetic purposes, something that governments in NSW and Victoria are considering. 'This is a complex area and it needs to be acknowledged that there are cases where there is a legitimate medical need for teenagers to have plastic surgery,' Ms Giddings said. Hobart-based plastic surgeon Chris Edwards said that he was not in favour of a blanket ban on cosmetic surgery for teenagers because there are cases where a young person's quality of life could be 'dramatically improved' by cosmetic surgery. The issue of plastic surgery for teenagers generated public debate earlier this year when a contestant on reality television program Big Brother revealed that she had breast implants at the age of 19 (Mercury, 11/10/06, pp.1,4).