Kids on the school playground can indeed be cruel, but a new medical facility is opening in Whitehorse to help ease the pain of taunting.

The Beauty and Wellness Clinic at 2149 Second Ave. seeks to nip problematic physical attributes in the bud, Dr. Hal Visage said in an interview this morning.

Extremely large noses, weak chins and protruding ears are among the physical characteristics many people lament in adulthood, often resorting to cosmetic surgery to correct what genetics may have gotten wrong.

Visage said his clinic seeks to correct such physical conditions in younger patients whose bones are still developing, and are thus more malleable.

The clinic's team of six medical professionals will focus their private cosmetic surgery clinic solely on patients between the ages of two and 12.

"We have found great demand in southern markets for cosmetic surgery options for younger patients," said Visage.

"Surgery of any kind performed on children is often less painful and more successful."

Visage was trained as a cosmetic surgeon in California, where he developed his first pediatric cosmetic surgery clinic.

He has since expanded to a dozen more across the United States and Canada, and said he is quite excited to work up north, where he is also licensed to practise medicine.

"I firmly believe Canada's northern residents, especially the children, are equally deserving of a clinic like mine."

The clinic is set to open its doors for consultations this afternoon, although a wait list has already been started, said receptionist Claire Peau.

One Whitehorse mother, who wished to be unnamed, told the Star she was looking forward to the clinic's opening.

Her three children, ages three, six and eight, have all inherited her high forehead.

She said her younger two don't get teased, but her eldest has been the subject of a handful of comments.

"They call her 'movie screen head', and as a parent, it's just so hard, you know, you feel so helpless," she said.

She said she plans to take all three of her children to the new clinic to have their hairlines descended, which will decrease the size of their foreheads.

The procedure will only take two hours per child, and all three can expect to go home the same day.

Another Whitehorse parent, Karen Oreilles, is the first name on the clinic's wait list.

When contacted at her Porter Creek home, she said she was amazed the clinic was finally set to open.

"My son can now get the nose job I've always dreamed of," she said.

Critics of the new clinic have been aplenty. Whitehorse teachers, caregivers and family doctors have spoken out against the Beauty and Wellness Clinic.

"I can't believe he's allowed to open this kind of clinic - what kind of message is that sending?" commented daycare provider Kelly Bouche.

Grade three teacher Arnold Menton told the Star he doesn't think the Yukon is ready for such a clinic.

"Before we think about something like that, I mean, why don't we talk about a cosmetic surgery clinic for adults?"

Visage said he would not open up his practice for adult or teen patients, but welcomed such a business if another practitioner decided to set up shop in Whitehorse.

Aside from the emotional and physical scarring that Visage hopes to undo through his clinic's services, he admits the financial burden may be too much for some families to bear.

A rhinoplasty, or nose job, will cost about $5,000, including all pre- and post-operative fees. The territory's health plan does not cover children's cosmetic surgery, officials confirmed to the Star.

To offset some of the costs, Visage said he has started a fundraising campaign called "Beautify the children".

"Businesses, government, anyone can donate, although they are not tax-deductible," he said.

The clinic is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ed. note: Readers may want to consider today's date while reflecting on this story.