June 14, 2004 -- Forget the convertible. A boob job is the latest must-have on your teen daughter's graduation list.
The number of 18-year-olds who underwent breast-implant surgery nearly tripled last year — from 3,872 in 2002 to 11,326 in 2003, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
"There is a trend in which parents are giving implants as a gift, including as a graduation present," said Dr. Stephen Greenberg, who practices in Woodbury, L.I., and Manhattan.
Popular, well-endowed teen idols, like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, as well as reality-TV shows like "Extreme Makeover" and "The Swan," have made some girls dislike their own bodies, experts said.
"The media and fashion industries emphasize breasts and a curvaceous figure," said Dr. Leroy Young, co-chair of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's breast-surgery committee. "There's no advertising [for implants] targeting that age
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