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| Lobby of the Beijing MyLike Hospital, Chaoyang District (China.org.cn) |
"A friend of mine, who had a birth defect, did have plastic surgery, half a year ago," said Stella, a postgraduate student at Peking University. "A side of his mouth got deformed, so now he has some self-esteem issues. If I was an actress or a model, I would have surgery, but I am not, so I can live the way I am."
Confucius' teachings also make it harder to openly discuss plastic surgery -- a topic considered taboo. A person's hair, body and skin are gifts from one's parents. Therefore, to remain filial, one shouldn't harm or alter any part of its body, according to the Chinese philosopher.
Women, the largest pool of consumers, are especially reluctant to admit that they have gone under the knife, as admitting that they had surgery is also equivalent to admitting that their beauty is not natural. Young women are expected to secure the perfect marriage and land the perfect job and some believe that plastic surgery is the fastest way to reach both goals.
"It can boost women's confidence," according to Dr. Luo Jinchao, a surgeon at Beijing MyLike and a graduate of Peking Union Medical College. "It can help them secure a job or a marriage."
It is important to note that when applying for a job in China, one's resume isn't complete without a picture. Those who are physically less blessed or confident might therefore feel disadvantaged.
The three procedures often requested by patients are lipoplasty, also known as double eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, also known as nose surgery, and mammoplasty, or breast augmentation procedure, according to Dr. Luo.
He added that a lipoplasty costs between 5,000 to 10,000 yuan; a rhinoplasty, between 10,000 to 50,000 yuan; and a breast augmentation procedure, between 20,000 to 100,000 yuan, depending on the material and brand used.
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