Delhi Men Ready To Go Any Length For Looks

If cosmetic surgery is anything to go by, Delhi’s men are more in touch with their feminine side than even Americans. Delhi men account for 30 per cent of cosmetic surgeries as compared to 20 per cent in the US, found a study by Max Healthcare at its three Delhi hospitals. The analysis of 400 consecutive cosmetic procedures done in 2005 also showed that cosmetic surgery has gone up 280 per cent between 2004 and 2005.
Men chose to get their noses fixed and correct minor scars, followed closely by breast reduction surgery and penis enlargement, while women opted for breast reshaping and augmentation, thigh and abdomen reshaping and nose jobs. Minor outpatient procedures such as botox injections, wrinkle fillers and thread lifts were not included in the study. "The only reason facial procedures don't figure in the women's list is because most people prefer non-invasive procedures like wrinkle fillers and botox to surgical facelifts," says study author Dr Sunil Choudhury, consultant plastic surgeon at Max Healthcare.
The study, which included only aesthetic procedures and ignored reconstructive surgery (needed after accidents, burns, operations, etc), threw up a lot of surprises.
"Contrary to perception that it is the rich and famous who seek cosmetic surgery, we found that three-fourths of the patients were regular people who just wanted to look and feel better about themselves," says Dr Choudhury.
Most people seeking surgery were below 40 years old. Young adults in the 18-30 years age group accounted for over half of the patients (54 per cent), followed by people in the 30-40 year age group with 23 per cent. Interestingly, while just 43 per cent women who opted for surgery were unmarried, 88 per cent men looking to improve their looks were unmarried.
Psychiatrist Samir Parikh, chief of department of mental health and behavioural sciences, Max, says the gender gap between men and women will close further. "There is a 4 per cent increase in the number of men seeking surgery in 2005 as compared to 2004, which suggests an upward trend that is likely to continue with men being less tied in gender stereotypes."
from Hindustan Times