The Little Baby Face Foundation（LBFF）is an NYC-based nonprofit organization with a great deal of controversy. Founded in 2002, it provides free plastic surgery for children born with facial deformities（畸形）. Many teenagers who have been teased for their looks are now applying to have their problem areas “fixed” by LBFF.
Nadia, one 14-year-old teenager, had her face greatly changed in June when she went under the knife. Her classmates had been constantly making fun of her appearance. “They said I have the biggest ears that they've ever seen. They called me elephant ears,” Nadia said. Those comments hurt her a lot. She even considered how to end her own life.
But Nadia tried to keep the bullying a secret from her mother, Lynda. Her mother was already dealing with mounting medical bills for her 9-year-old son, Josh, who had a serious brain disease. When her mother did finally find out about the bullying, she was heartbroken.
Nadia decided to end her bullying problems with plastic surgery. Then her mother turned to the LBFF, which accepted Nadia's application. The surgeries were very painful and it took months for her face to heal, but she did manage to return to school with a new face, a face she was finally proud of.
Nadia's surgery may have helped her overcome her emotional pain, but should teenagers go to those extremes just because they are being bullied?
Experts warn if the deformities are not really a problem to the child, plastic surgery is not the answer! In fact, when a teen decides to get plastic surgery because he or she is being bullied, it can send the wrong message. By surgically changing the victim of a bully, it is as if you support the bullying and agree the victim is in fact worthy of all those names he or she has been called. It is like saying to teenagers: “Yes, there is something wrong with you, and you should get it fixed!”
