Skin-deep surgery's just swell
- Source: Global Times
- [13:31 June 21 2010]
- Comments
Look younger, live better
As the manager of a foreign company, Shen's performance was always above par. However, the younger, prettier employees in her office contrasted with her feeling her growing age.
"Most of my coworkers in the office are young girls. I did not feel confident enough to be among a group of young girls with two big bags and black eyes," Shen told the Global Times.
Five years ago Shen underwent plastic surgery which removed the bags and since then she has also received Botox treatments five times at Renai Hospital.
"I met a woman professor from Jiao Tong University, who at 60 had come for a facelift," said Shen.
According to Wang Rong, the chief of the cosmetic surgery department at Renai Hospital, people above 40 and even older are now a common sight in the consulting rooms of the plastic surgeons.
Quite a few of the older generation who go for a surgical makeovers are successful business women or professionals who occupy important management or leading positions in their work places. In order to appear as gung-ho and vibrant as their younger counterparts and also to be seen as being in complete control, they tend to pay more attention to their appearance.
As well as the career women, there are those who have home-making responsibilities, and also keen to get rid of signs of age. Disposable income and a steadily rising awareness of an affluent lifestyle among the middle class has given a new aspect to the aspirations of the people.
According to Jiang, the most common plastic surgery procedures sought by the older generation are removing wrinkles, bags under the eyes and carrying out hair implants. And streams of foreigners have breast reduction and enhancement surgery in Shanghai.
According to Jiang, most of the middle-aged subjects who undergo plastic surgery are satisfied with the result. Often it is impossible to tell if someone has undergone a facelift or other plastic surgery.
Sometimes the surgery itself seems to make women more confident even than the result of the surgery.
"Many people cannot tell I have had plastic surgery on my eyelids but I am happy that my drooped eyelids have been lifted and my double-fold eyelids look good even if I am the only one who knows," Zhou Shushen, a 48-year-old satisfied customer, told the Global Times.
The key difference between the young girls and middle-aged women going for a makeover is that most of the girls want to change their look completely by getting a nose-lift or turning their single-edged eyelids into double-edged eyelids, while most middle-aged women just want to look as young as possible.
With the development of medical science, looking younger than one's age is no longer a dream for ordinary people.
Not only plastic surgery clinics but modern beauty salons have also become more popular among the middle-aged. A television show called Younger for a Couple of Years about women wanting have face and haior makeovers, is one of the most popular shows today. Scores of women are keen to participate in this show and put their beautyon show.
Scalpel no secret
Women's desire to look forever young and desirable is not new. Since time immemorial there have been legends about women trying everything to stay young. From Yang Guifei of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in China who bathed in milk to Countess Elizabeth Bathory from Hungary in the 17th century who showered in virgins' blood, youth has been a treasure for women.
However, in this modern age, even though the advancement of science has opened up new possibilities for looking young, people are hesitant to talk openly about it.
In China when plastic surgery first became possible, the procedures were not meant to be shouted from the rooftop. When celebrities underwent plastic surgery the event was always shrouded in secrecy. But now the women of China face no such restrictions.
Delighted at the amazing changes from their operations women have begun to share the "secret of their youth" with their friends and colleagues. Most women cannot resist the temptation to try it out. According to Jiang, many of his clients have been recommended by their friends or relatives. "My sister underwent plastic surgery to remove bags under her eyes after I showed her my refreshed, new look. And even my 45-year-old male cousin followed suit without letting us know," said Shen.
