What was once surgery performed primarily to restore, is now used to enhance a person's face and body. Cosmetic surgery, which is said to have been “used more than 4,000 years ago to treat facial lesions” (Fresh Faces), is now considered a common activity for all types of people. This surgery first gained popularity in the 1910s, after World War I, among soldiers with war-torn faces in need of repair. Subsequently, it became a popular trend among women, who were mostly from high-class societies, and then in the 1990s the industry expanded to include men, and even more recently it has included teenagers as young as 15 . (Friedman, New Faces) The fact that adolescents have begun to undergo these surgeries has brought concerns and questions to many more people about the effects that the availability of these procedures is having on today's youth. The truth is that this is a booming industry, and it was only expected that the teenage population would soon be part of it. In 2000 alone, 306,384 cosmetic procedures were performed on individuals 18 years of age or younger, 65,231 of which required surgery. (ASPS) Then, in 2004, “there were 240,682 [cosmetic] procedures…representing 2.0% of the total” cosmetic procedures performed (ASPS Press). The teenager's inspiration to undergo these surgeries is considered to have been the media they came to rely on for advice and insights. They have come to aspire not only to act like the people in the spotlight, but also to look like them. And with shows like Extreme Makeover or The Swan and celebrities like Heidi Montag and Carmen Electra, children are led to believe that cosmetic surgery is always simple and rewarding. Unfortunately, the media sees...... half of the paper...... Surgery | The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery." The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: The Mark of Distinction in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery® | The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Web. 02 April 2010. Bennett, Jessica and Aku Ammah- Tagoe "Tales of a Modern Diva". .2010. "Guide to Aesthetic Plastic Surgery - Risks and Complications". 344.CQ Online Researcher. March 29, 2010. “Fresh Faces.” Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources Virtual Reference Library Web. 2010.