Cosmetic surgery normal part of everyday life for British women
Sep 8, 2005 - 12:15:00 AM
One of the reasons we are seeing such a rise in cosmetic surgery may be because cosmetic surgery doesnt carry the same sort of stigma it used to and people are more happy to talk about it with their friends.
By BUPA, [RxPG] Cosmetic surgery is now a normal part of everyday life for British women, a survey by leading healthcare organisation BUPA reveals. Over 80 percent of women believe cosmetic surgery is perfectly acceptable these days, with 1 in 4 of the 18-40 year old women surveyed saying they would have, or have had, some sort of procedure.
Of those who said they would consider surgery, just under two thirds (59 percent) said they would not be embarrassed to talk about it and over half said they would have more than one enhancement. 15 percent said they would get a loan to cover the cost, and five percent said they would use their credit card with the bulk of respondents saying they would save up.
Jennifer Aniston narrowly beat Angelina Jolie, as the celebrity women would most like to look like, while Kelly Brooke and Kate Winslet both scored five times higher than their less curvy counterparts Liz Hurley and Kate Moss.
BUPAs group medical director, Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, a member of the Expert Group on the Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery said: One of the reasons we are seeing such a rise in cosmetic surgery may be because cosmetic surgery doesnt carry the same sort of stigma it used to and people are more happy to talk about it with their friends.
In terms of the procedure they would choose if they were going to have surgery, 23 percent said a tummy tuck, followed by breast augmentation (15 percent) and liposuction (15 percent). More women would choose to have cosmetic treatment before a landmark birthday e.g. 30th or 40th, than a wedding, and more divorced women than single women tend to have had or want to have surgery.
One worrying statistic to emerge from the research is that 12 per cent of those who would consider surgery said they would go to the cheapest clinic.
Dr Vallance-Owen added: Cosmetic surgery is definitely not something which should be purchased because it is cheap. There are some cowboys out there. It is vital that patients do some research before committing to a particular surgeon or clinic and ensure the surgeon is not only fully qualified but highly trained and experienced in their field. He continued: Cosmetic surgery is best carried out in a hospital setting with full facilities and comprehensive medical team backup. Choosing to have your operation carried out by a specialist consultant in a private hospital is one of the safest choices you can make.
The research was carried out by TNS Omnimas over a two week period. Sample size of 837 women aged 18-40.
A dedicated website www.bupacosmeticsurgery.com carries clinical information and guide prices for around 50 cosmetic procedures and out-patient treatments. A Buyers Guide offering clear unbiased information for anyone considering cosmetic surgery or treatment can be downloaded free from the website.
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