Women want to look like celebrities

Ladies in the Middle East are basing themselves on stars when having plastic surgery, claims a new report.

The AFP says that nose jobs, liposuction, facelifts and breast implants are the most popular forms of plastic surgery and that the ages of Middle Eastern women undergoing treatment ranged from 14 to 75.

Plastic surgeon Tony Nassar told the news agency: "It is rare for a client not to show up with the picture of a star, asking for Angelina Jolie’s lips or Haifa’s nose and chest."

Elias Shammas, owner of the Hazmieh International Medical Centre, said numbers of men seeking surgery are increasing and they now make up 30 per cent of his clients. He said the most popular procedures for males are hair implants, liposuction, double-chin removal and eye-lid liftings.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 11 million cosmetic surgery operations were performed in the US during 2006, an increase of seven per cent from the previous year. Breast augmentation was the most popular.