Too Extreme? 14-Year-Old Gets Plastic Surgery To End Bullying

No matter how long ago it was that we walked the halls, two-by-two, of elementary school, it's impossible to forget the fact that sometimes, kids can be incredibly cruel. Teasing and taunting is nothing new, and sadly, as proven by recent news events, it can too often escalate to tragedy. However, 14-year-old Nadia Ilse found a solution to the constant distress when the organization Little Baby Face Foundation offered her a permanent end to endless teasing about her too-big ears (her claim, not ours).

Little Baby Face's homepage declares that it's an organization aiming to help children born with "facial deformities" by supplying them with free plastic surgery procedures they might not otherwise be able to afford. Nadia landed this gratis option to pin back her ears, and (this is where things get particularly troubling) additional procedures for her chin and nose. The results were, well, lovely — the teen looks great and she expressed her excitement saying, "I look beautiful, this is exactly what I wanted, I love it."

Part of us is really happy for Nadia. To feel comfortable and confident in your own skin is something we want for all young girls. However, when looking at her "before" images, we can't help but feel as though Nadia looked just as lovely prior to going under the knife and, what's more, she looked like a young girl who had not yet matured into the woman she might have been.

Following Nadia's transformation, she will also participate in counseling to address the emotional damage of her surgery, the scars of which don't heal as quickly as a lot of other invasive surgeries. But, considering the organization that provided her with the resources to change her appearance also credits themselves with providing reconstruction for children who were born with cleft palates and facial palsy, can we assume that Nadia's case was classified as a deformity, as well? Who exactly makes that judgment call, though — what defines a "deformity"? Furthermore, can it be argued that the decision to opt for surgery was made too young, too soon, or is this simply a case of providing the best possible solution for a child who's being victimized? It's a fine line, and we want to know where you stand. (Allure)