A teenager who had been constantly bullied due to her nose was given a free nose job by a New York City nonprofit, according to TIME.
The Little Baby Face Foundation offers free plastic surgery to low-income children with facial deformities. Renata, 15, said her classmates teased her so much about her nose that she hasn't been to school in three years. Other kids even called her "the girl with the big nose". So Renata and her mother turned to the organization for help. In 2012, Little Baby Face famously operated on Nadia Isle, a 14-year old who requested her ears be pinned back so that her classmates would stop calling her "Dumbo".
When Renata requested her nose job, she wrote: "I tried convincing myself that I am fine the way I am, but I just don't believe it anymore." She was chosen to receive the surgery after the foundation director, Dr. Thomas Romo diagnosed her with hemi-facial microsomia, which means that her nose typically leans to the left. In order to help balance her face, Dr. Romo also performed a chin job on Renata.
Psychologists claim that teens shouldn't have to resort to plastic surgery to avoid bullying. However, Renata's mother defends her daughter's decision to still push through with the procedure. She said: "I don't think it's sending the wrong message. Renata still sees what she sees in the mirror and it has an effect on her self-esteem and confidence regardless of what anyone says. Parents correct kids' teeth with braces to make their teeth straighter. They're still the same kid on the inside, but unfortunately, people are judged on how they look."
