Plastic surgery up by 61%...and that's just the men

|INCREASING numbers of men are succumbing to the pressures of an image-conscious society and undergoing cosmetic surgery to improve their looks, research has revealed.

Figures released yesterday in a report by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) showed men underwent an array of surgical procedures last year such as nose jobs, tummy tucks, ear pinning and eyelid surgery.

The number of operations on men rose by 61 per cent from 822 to 1,348 in 2003-4, dispelling the myth that plastic surgery is a luxury for women or the rich and famous.

General Sir Mike Jackson, the chief of the general staff, is among prominent figures to have had plastic surgery, although he said his eyelids were trimmed to help his vision.

The report also found that greater numbers of women are turning to the surgeon’s knife to achieve physical perfection.

BAAPS, which aims to advance awareness of cosmetic surgery, said cosmetic operations last year rose by 18 per cent from 2003.

A total of 16,367 operations were carried out, with 15,019 procedures performed on women - 92 per cent of the total.

Breast augmentation, breast reduction, eyelid surgery and facelifts were among the most popular operations.

Douglas McGeorge, consultant plastic surgeon and president-elect of BAAPS, said the rises were a reflection of an ageing and wealthier society.

"The increase in the number of people being treated by our members shows an increased acceptance of cosmetic surgery, full stop.

"It’s a matter of people living longer in a more affluent society. People are retiring and starting new lives rather than retiring to die as our parents’ generation did.

"It used to be only superstars and actors who had surgery but now it is very much open to all people."

Marcus Landauer, managing director of Landauer Cosmetic Surgery which has bases in Glasgow and Ayr, said men were increasingly turning to plastic surgery to improve their looks.

"Women represent the majority, but more men are coming to us to have things like nose jobs, tummy tucks and liposuction done," he said.

"Overall, cosmetic surgery is becoming more accessible and more acceptable to people nowadays and greater numbers from both sexes are using the procedures we offer."

Cosmetic surgery has become more common in Scotland, with operations worth 25 million carried out in 2004 and home teeth-bleaching kits and "botox parties" making procedures more accessible than previously. But its growing popularity has caused alarm.

There was widespread concern earlier this year when a nationwide survey revealed celebrities with perfect bodies had driven four out of ten teenage girls in the UK to consider plastic surgery.