Silicone breast implant

London, Jan 14: A new survey has found that the number of women willing to undergo cosmetic surgery to improve their looks has doubled in two years.

Nearly one-third of the women participants in the study said that they were “favourably disposed” to having a little work done to improve their looks.

The study shows how a growing acceptance of surgery, fuelled by television shows like Nip/Tuck, Extreme Makeover and Ten Years Younger, have 'desensitized' attitudes to radical procedures.

About 690,000 procedures are to be carried out this year, a 40 per cent increase on last year, and 240 per cent higher than 2001.

Analysts have predicted that the number of women willing to go under the knife will grow by 139 per cent within the next four years, and that the cosmetic surgery market could be worth 1.8 billion pounds per year by 2011.

During the survey, amongst of the 1,000 adults were asked if they would consider having cosmetic surgery done on them. One-third of the women polled answered in the positive, double the rate recorded in a similar survey in 2004.

The most popular treatment was found to be the breast lift surgery, with 12 per cent willing to consider it, and the second most sought-after operation was breast implants, which 8 per cent of women would contemplate.

Key Note's report, Cosmetic Surgery, said there was a more positive response for all types of procedures compared to two years ago, reports the Daily Mail.

The surveyors also found that the young women from less well-off backgrounds were the most inclined lot to cosmetic surgery, an indication that treatments are becoming increasingly affordable and are no longer regarded as the preserve of the rich and famous.

Forty-six per cent of women surveyed, however, said that they were strongly against cosmetic surgery. (ANI)