Shanghai hospital records jump in patients undergoing cosmetic surgery
By Channel NewsAsia's Glenda Chong | Posted: 20 February 2009 0011 hrs

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SHANGHAI: With many believing that their face is their rice bowl, the Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital has recorded a jump in patients going for cosmetic surgery recently.

Dr Liao Yuhua, president, Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital, said: "Our business soared from the end of November and early December. According to our statistics, there was an increase in patients by 45 per cent year-on-year.

"During the Spring Festival there were about 80 to 90 patients a day - 85 per cent of them opted for plastic surgery."

Most of their patients are aged between 25 and 45. But the hospital is also seeing an increasing number of students.

Dr Liao added: "Fresh graduates are looking for jobs. Their parents also understand the stiff competition they face and want their child to have the advantage."

"I want to reshape my face because my face is too big. I want to look thin so I'm doing some inquiry today. If my appearance improves, so will my confidence, and coupled with a good education, this will provide me with a better first impression," said one patient who is undergoing cosmetic surgery.

Some of the most frequently requested procedures are double eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, face reshaping and breast augmentation.

Due to advances in medicine and better trained doctors, it is not just the local Chinese who are having work done, but more foreigners are also travelling to Shanghai for cosmetic surgery.

Dr Liao added that cosmetic surgeries in Shanghai are not as expensive as compared to Korea, America and Japan. For example, plastic surgery in Korea costs almost eight to 10 times more than in Shanghai. Thus, these foreigners would rather come to China because cosmetic surgeries are cheaper.

Men are also increasingly willing to go under the knife, usually asking for hair and mustache implants.

In image conscious Shanghai, looks play an important part. According to unofficial figures, there are about one million Chinese who opt for cosmetic surgery yearly and this trend is not about to decline despite the economic crisis.

The Chinese traditionally believe there is a close relationship between how you look and your future. - CNA/vm