For many Chinese, new wealth and a fresh face

With the rapid improvement in living standards, a growing number of Chinese turn to plastic surgery for a new look, said an article in the New York Times on April 23.

After houses, cars and travel, plastic surgery has become "the fourth most popular way to spend discretionary income in China," according to Ma Xiaowei, China's vice health minister.

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery also estimated in 2009 that "China ranked third, behind the United States and Brazil, with more than 2 million operations annually." As the number of operations is doubling every year, Ma said that plastic or cosmetic surgery has now become a common service aimed at the masses.

According to the article, two-fifths of patients are in their 20s or younger. They include "job applicants hoping to enhance their prospects in the work force, teenagers who received cosmetic surgery as a high school graduation present and even middle school students."

But China's regulatory system has not kept up. The inspection of 11 clinics and hospitals offering cosmetic or plastic surgery late last year found that less than half met national standards. "Employees lacked professional credentials, equipment and materials were subpar. Beauty parlors are flagrant violators, illegally administering Botox injections and performing eyelid surgery."