Plastic Surgery a Well-Received Option

UCLA scientists report the majority of women and a large number of men have some level of interest in undergoing cosmetic surgery, according to a study published in the October 2007 issue of the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. UCLA researchers examined the responses of more than 50,000 people to a 2003 survey administered by MSNBC.com and Elle.com to discover 48 percent of women surveyed expressed definite interest in cosmetic surgery with 23 percent expressing possible interest. Only 23 percent of men, however, expressed definite interest with 17 percent entertaining the possibility of undergoing cosmetic surgery.

Further, someone interested in having plastic surgery likely has a body image no poorer than someone uninterested in plastic surgery pulled from the general population. Even people with a positive body image didn't rule out the possibility of altering their appearance through surgery.

The number of plastic surgeries increased nearly 50 percent from 2000 to 2006, according to the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, with approximately 90 percent of 2004 procedures being performed on women.

ABSTRACT: Interest in Cosmetic Surgery and Body Image: Views of Men and Women across the Lifespan.