Cosmetic surgery demand 'soaring' . .

The popularity of cosmetic surgery is continuing to soar in the UK,
latest figures show. Market analyst Mintel predicts that in 2008 Britons
will spend more than £1bn on cosmetic surgery.
In the last year 577,000 cosmetic treatments were carried out in the UK,
compared with 300,000 in 2005. The number of non-surgical procedures
rose from 230,000 to 472,000, with a particular surge in demand for
botox and collagen wrinkle fillers.

Mintel said these non-invasive procedures have become much more
popular because they are seen as less risky. But the analyst warned that
the fact that these delicate procedures do not have to be carried out by
medically qualified personnel, and that this part of the industry is still
self-regulated should be a cause for concern.

Other non-invasive procedures include laser hair removal, chemical peels
and teeth whitening. Mintel senior cosmetics analyst Alexandra Richmond
said: "Today, the British perception of beauty is based on airbrushed
images of models and photos of surgically enhanced celebrities, both
young and old. "For many the natural look simply can't compete and
leaves them feeling inadequate." Surgical procedures still make up the
bulk of spending on cosmetic treatments.

Most popular: Facial enhancements, such as facelifts, and breast surgery are the two most popular surgical procedures. One in five facial surgery operations carried out in the past year were nose jobs. popular facial enhancements > >

Nose jobs were the most popular surgical procedure with men, with
breast enlargement most popular with women. Breast uplifts are
increasingly carried out to redress the effects of breast-feeding and
pregnancy on women's shape, the report says.

Mr Rajiv Grover, a consultant plastic surgeon and secretary of the British
Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said that there was still
potential for further growth in the numbers of people having procedures.
He said: "The current figures suggest that as little as 0.03% of the
population has undergone a procedure, so there is scope for more.

"We just don't know what new procedures will be available in even the
next few years." However, he cautioned people considering cosmetic
surgery to consider the potential dangers and side-effects, and select
their surgeon with care. "Some people spend longer choosing their
bathroom tiles than they do choosing their surgeon," he said.

Botox is used to smooth forehead lines, eliminate crows' feet and other
facial lines. It is the most popular type of non-surgical cosmetic procedure.
Collagen is another injectable filler which is used to improve the
appearance of wrinkles and lines.

"Some people spend longer choosing their bathroom tiles than
they do choosing their surgeon" Mr Rajiv Grover of the
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

Source: BBC News Online