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Türkiye has seen a surge in requests for cosmetic surgery among children and teenagers, partly due to peer bullying and social media, says ear, nose and throat (ENT) and facial plastic surgery specialist Dr. Yasin Kulaksiz.
He believes the trend reflects a wider generational change.
"The generation has changed, and it now looks more critically at things and has the self-confidence to say everything," Kulaksiz told Anadolu Agency (AA).
The medical professional said requests should first be evaluated to determine whether they stem from a genuine physical concern or are shaped by social media trends and peer influence.
He added that online communication has intensified the problem, since people are often more willing to make comments through social media than they would face-to-face, and that families do not always respond appropriately when their children are bullied.
Requests vary by age and complaint, Kulaksiz said. Concerns about protruding ears typically arise around ages 5 to 6, while requests related to the nose are more common between ages 15 and 18, during high school.
He said some children who come to him have no physical problems at all. "It can be entirely about emotional distress, wanting to belong, following a trend, or wanting something that is popular at the time," he said.
"For example, a child might want a nose like Barbie's, very narrow, very curved, and very small. In these cases, the child should not be operated on and should be directed elsewhere instead."
Surgery may be considered, he said, when a child or teenager has a genuine physical issue, a realistic request, and a desire for a natural appearance, such as wanting to breathe more easily, with parental consent factored into the decision.
Kulaksiz warned that trying to resolve peer bullying through cosmetic surgery can create new problems, citing the case of social media personality Taha Duymaz, who died in the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquake.
According to Kulaksiz, Duymaz was bullied over his nose and underwent nose surgery as a result; his ears later became a target as well, leading to ear surgery, after which he faced depression and other difficulties. Kulaksiz said the case shows that surgery alone cannot eliminate peer bullying.
Kulaksiz said social media filters also distort how children and teenagers see their own appearance, presenting skin as extremely smooth and noses as unnaturally small and flawless, an unrealistic standard that is often difficult to replicate surgically and can leave young people dissatisfied with their real-life appearance.
Much of this content has been altered through filters and editing, he said, and also functions as a marketing tool, making such comparisons unhealthy.
Kulaksiz said parental attitudes are also significant. Some parents try to fulfill their children's ambitions they did not achieve in their own youth, supporting cosmetic requests without question, while others dismiss their children's concerns entirely as "a passing phase," an approach that can leave parents excluded once children pursue surgery independently at 18.
The right approach, Kulaksiz said, is to evaluate a child's concern objectively with a specialist physician, seeking psychological support when necessary.
Families should neither grant every request unconditionally nor dismiss a child's distress, he said, adding that requests for cosmetic surgery should be assessed by weighing peer bullying, social media influence, psychological state, and parental attitude together, rather than physical appearance alone.
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