Guangzhou considers plastic surgery ban for minors

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Guangzhou may become the first Chinese city to ban minors from receiving nonessential plastic surgery, according to a draft revision of regulations on the protection of minors, released on Sunday.

If approved, the rules will also require doctors to inform under-18s and their legal guardians about the risks involved before they can undergo any cosmetic operation for medical reasons.

"Cities nationwide have seen younger people undergoing plastic surgery in recent years," said Yang Jianguang, a law professor at Sun Yat-sen University.

"In the pursuit of a fashionable or pretty look, these youngsters may make an ill-thought-out decision to undergo a procedure that could harm their health."

Yang has been leading a panel of experts in drafting the revision since February, and emphasized that it is necessary to regulate the rapidly growing plastic surgery industry through the law.

Zhejiang Mingzhongyi Medical Center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, launched a promotion targeting college and secondary school students during the summer vacation, offering a 20 percent discount for surgeries such as nose reshaping and double eyelids.

A receptionist told a China Daily reporter posing as a 17-year-old potential customer that the promo will continue after the summer vacation. She described nose reshaping and double eyelid surgery as "small surgeries with few risks that junior middle school students can undergo."

The center is administrated by the No 3 Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University.

Bu Ren, a facial reconstruction specialist at Plastic Surgery Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, warned that surgery on juveniles can have unknown effects because the young person has not completed his or her physical growth.

"In addition, due to mental immaturity, juveniles tend to be unrealistic about the surgical effect," she said. "They will be badly hurt if the effect doesn't meet their expectation, or even develop a morbid obsession with plastic surgery in order to bring the desired result."

She welcomed the proposed changes to Guangzhou's regulations but added that she is concerned about the implementation.

"It's difficult for us to confirm a client's age," Bu said. "We do not have the right to ask clients to show their identity cards so we can only judge from appearance.

"Sometimes parents will even help their underage children conceal their true age."

Zhao Yin, a lawyer who specializes in medical cases at Zhonglun W&D Law Firm in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, said, "If approved, the regulation will be the first rule that has addressed the issue of plastic surgery for under-18s in China."

She hopes Guangzhou's pending regulations will be approved and adopted across the country to promote the healthy development of the cosmetic surgery industry.

Questions:

1. What city is considering a ban on minors from receiving nonessential plastic surgery?

2. What would the rules say?

3. What are some popular procedures for young people in China?

Answers:

1. Guangzhou.

2. They will also require doctors to inform under-18s and their legal guardians about the risks involved before they can undergo any cosmetic operation for medical reasons.

3. Nose reshaping and double eyelids.

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.