Australian plastic surgeons warn against young people going under the knife

THIS 15-year-old reportedly underwent dangerous plastic surgery in an effort to impress and win back her ex. And her case might not be isolated.

AUSTRALIAN plastic surgeons are warning young people to heed caution before going under the knife, after a Chinese teenager reportedly underwent extreme plastic surgery to win back an ex-boyfriend.

Lee Hee Danae, from Henan province in Central China, is a social media star with 400,000 followers on her Weibo page — the Chinese equivalent of Facebook.

According to Chinese website shanghaiiist.com, Lee Hee’s fans are commenting on her photos saying she is “too beautiful to look at”. Chinese news site cbg.cn reports Lee Hee had the surgery to win back an ex-boyfriend.

Several Chinese fans have remarked how her pointed chin and snow-white skin make her look like a “snake spirit,” reverencing a popular Chinese folk legend.

Lee Hee Danae reportedly lists her birthday as May, 1999 on her Weibo page.

The plastic surgery industry is hugely popular in China, with many young women travelling to neighbouring South Korea for procedures.

One in five South Korean women has had some form of cosmetic surgery, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. That’s the highest rate of cosmetic surgery per capita in the world.

The South Korean government has spent millions of dollars promoting its medical tourism industry, which is dominated by plastic surgery.

The New York Times reports the South Korean government expects one million medical tourists a year by 2020, the majority being Chinese travellers.

Some have questioned whether the Lee Hee’s photos have been digitally altered.

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons spokesman Dr Jeremy Hunt says operating on young women can be dangerous.

“Caution is my number one piece of advice. We need to bear in mind a woman’s face doesn’t fully mature until a girl is 18 or even in their early 20s.”

Dr Hunt says Australian plastic surgeons hold some of the highest standards of practice in the world.

“My role is to ensure that my patients are well looked after and cared for. Sometimes that means discouraging them from having procedures because in my professional opinion it’s not in their best interest.

Dr Benjamin Norris is a Sydney-based plastic surgeon. He says he usually doesn’t operate on people under 18, however he will consult them with parental supervision.

“I would not allow procedures such as rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery and cheek enhancement to be performed in my practice on someone under the age of 18.”

Lee Hee Danae poses in a photo on her Weibo page.

Dr Norris says he has performed two breast reductions on two 14 years olds in the past two years.

“In both cases those girls had stopped going to school, they were withdrawn from friendship groups and sporting activities because of embarrassment about the size of their bust. Both had excessively large breasts in proportion to their frame — we’re talking E-cup breasts on a 5 foot girl.

“I’ve had 16 and 17 year olds come to me asking for a breast enlargement and although I’m happy to consult with a parental guardian present, I won’t perform the surgery.”

Lee Hee Danae appears to have had multiple surgeries on her face, including eyelid surgery, also known as blepharoplasty.

Dr Hunt says there’s a big different between plastic surgery for “reconstructive and medical purposes” and elective cosmetic surgery.

“My view is that elective procedures all carry potential risks and we should question the emotional maturity of a 15-year-old. They’re not able to make a decision in their own best interests in the long term.

“It falls to the doctor and their moral compass to ensure that the young person is properly looked after.”

The Medical Board of Australia has proposed a set of guidelines for cosmetic surgery procedures in Australia, including a three-month “cooling off period” between consultation and surgery for all under 18s.

The Board is also proposing a seven-day cooling off period for all adults before procedures.