As the new school year starts many teenagers begin new classes,
greet old and new classmates and begin to settle in for the next
nine months. But for some students the return to school brings
the potential of being ridiculed and even bullied for physical
traits that are seen as different. Whether it is ears that stick
out, a bump on the nose, breasts that are too big or a weak
chin, teenagers have long faced criticism when they don’t fit
the ‘standard’ look or are not considered attractive enough.
These issues can become particularly harsh when one is born with
a birth defect such as cleft lip and palate. A recent story on
Good Morning America highlighted this issue with a 14 year-old
girl who had multiple aesthetic facial deformities. She had her
concerns addressed with an otoplasty for her protruding ears, a
rhinoplasty for her nose and a chin implant augmentation. But,
by far, the protruding ears are the one physical trait that is
most identified with being teased or bullied. This being called
numerous wel