Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 August 2010 16:04

It’s not unusual for teens to be obsessed with the latest fashion trends and their general appearance. However new research suggests that makeover TV shows like ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover," "Extreme Makeover-Home Edition," and the drama "Nip/Tuck, have sparked a boom  in cosmetic surgery amongst teenagers.

Charlotte Markey, an associate professor of psychology at Rutgers-Camden (N.J.), questioned nearly 200 youngsters with an average age of 20 immediately after watching an extreme makeover.

Teenagers told the researchers that they felt inspired by seeing others change their appearance through cosmetic surgery.

The study (published in the Journal Body Image) found that women were more likely to want cosmetic surgery and that those who watched the show were more inclined to undergo surgery themselves.

Markey said: "There's no conclusive data that cosmetic surgery makes people happier, only that it makes repeat customers.

"There are so many messages telling us to fix ourselves - but we need to tell our kids, 'I love you just the way you are'."