Brooke Bates’s parents got her liposuction and a tummy tuck at age 12. And then when she gained back 20 of the 40 lbs she had lost after the liposuction, they took her to MEXICO to get a stomach band. Against their doctor’s advice.
She said that after the first two surgeries, she “went from the big, fat girl to the popular girl … Then I gained weight back and it was depressing … But now that I had the lap band done, everything is just working out great.”
This is wrong on so many levels. Being popular is the wrong reason to do this. A 12-year-old can’t fully appreciate the physical risks of such surgeries. Gastric lap band reduces the size of your stomach, requiring you to seriously change your eating habits – which this girl obviously couldn’t do successfully, or she wouldn’t have quickly gained back half of the weight she originally lost. (Have they tried good ol’ Weight Watchers? Cheaper, healthier, and often more effective!) And oh my the cost – $25,000 just for the first two surgeries, and I seriously doubt that their insurance covered it.
I think this shows an incredible lack of judgment on the parents’ part. What do you think?
Book Mama 
I saw that special this AM too….when asked if they tried exercise, limiting food, etc, they shifted their eyegaze back and forth and shimmied over the question.
Yuck yuck yuck!
Its not limited to just that one parent…unfortunately. The top high school graduation gift is plastic surgury for girl. Everything from breast implants to nose jobs. One mother expressed that she wanted to give her daughter confidence.
Perhaps…it is time to realize that we can teach our young women confidence in other ways than body alteration.
Ugh… I’d rather go the Weight Watchers route instead of going under the knife. To me, learning healthy eating habits lasts longer than surgery.
It’s too bad that these parents are encouraging this. I feel bad for the kid.
BTW, like your blog. 🙂
Regards,
Michelle
beartwinsmom.wordpress.com
We tried weight watchers and so many other weight loss plans. Just extremely hard for a child to be on any kind of a diet. The lipo and lapband combination was a miracle.
It makes you wish you could revoke some parent’s rights to be a parent. This poor girl is going to have soooo many problems beyond this in her life because her parents are IDIOTs!
I can’t believe they would do that at such a young age. Children are still growing and developing and with a change in lifestyle she didn’t have to be a fat child…..and I know fat girls that are more popular than skinny ones…..sounds like she was popular for the wrong reasons.
That is insanity and completely outrageous!!!
It is so depressing to see what parents/adults are teaching young kids, especially young girls, and well, in turn, young boys. Nevermind what they are teaching her, but the health risks too.
When you have a tummy tuck they sew the ab muscles together so that your stomach stays flat and no more fat can get on there – so with that, you still gain weight, only it appears strangley, because it will only sit on your hips, butt, back, but not on the front of your stomach. So no wonder they got her lipo afterwards, she probably looked very funny and disproportionate! (not that I’m meaning to say that that’s ok!) Also, look into the future on this! She’ll eventually have to have that band removed, so that she can recieve a proper diet if she chooses to get pregnant one day – and if that’s even possible without another surgery to untie her abs so that her stomach can grow without serious pain when it splits apart.
Ugh. Some People.
[…] 17th, 2007 by BookMama The article I posted about a couple of days has had me thinking. What would I do if I had fat […]
There are dangers involved when adults have these types of surgeries… for a kid to have it done is totally reckless. It would be easy to blame this on our thin obsessed society. However, that would be letting the parents off the hook.
Malcolm – that’s what I’m talking about. These surgeries (all three) have serious risks for adults – getting them done for a child is incredibly risky. And personally, after reading several articles and watching the Good Morning America interview, I’m not convinced that the parents tried everything they could have in terms of diet and exercise etc. before resorting to surgery.
You all have no right to judge until you have walked a mile in this girls shoes.
You know, I agree – generally – that cosmetic surgery and lap-band surgery are ridiculous for pre-teens and teens. I can hardly imagine a scenario that makes it worth the risk, particularly after receiving medical advice to the contrary.
However, Legrand has a good point, too. We’re all quick to judge others – quick to say it’s all the parents’ fault their children are obese, all the parents’ fault when their children have eating disorders, and all the parents’ fault when children misbehave, but until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, it’s really unfair to judge individual cases. We all do it, but there are things I did and my parents supported me in doing that other adults thought were ludicrous – like skipping grades and attending college at twelve. We should consider that maybe the parents do know their child best and maybe what’s right for them isn’t necessarily a “good thing” in general. Maybe.
Holly – I totally agree that it’s possible that parents know best and that this may have been the best thing to do. However, based on everything I read/watched about this (which was everything I could find at the time I wrote this post), I don’t feel that’s the case in this situation. Totally my opinion, of course. 🙂
Not sure how I missed Legrand’s comment about walking a mile in this girl’s shoes. Hmm, let’s see – overweight, unpopular teenager – yep, been there done that. For more years than I care to remember.
Hello,
My name is Cindy Bates. Brooke Bates is my daughter.
Thank you for your opinions. Just wanted to give a quick update.
Brooke is now 20 years old, college student & engaged to be married.
She has maintained her weight beautifully and letting her have liposuction and lap band changed her life in such a Positive way! The lipo to get immediate results and the lapband to maintain her weight.
I give Thanks to Dr. Robert Ersek!
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