Holiday triggers rush to go under the knife

By Cao Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-10 09:10

SHANGHAI: The so-called "golden week" holiday following the Oct 1 National Day celebration presented a golden opportunity for people wanting to go under the knife for cosmetic surgery.

"The number of patients we received was two to three times the number we saw last year," said Xu Beihua, director of the plastic surgery department at No 455 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army.

"We always see more people during holidays," Xu said. "This year, because the holiday was longer than usual, people wanted to take advantage of it to rest and recover."

Xu said the boom started just before the holiday when a record number of people dropped by for consultations and to book procedures.

"From Sept 28 to Oct 8, we had more than 190 operations and treatments, with each patient spending an average of 10,000 yuan," said Xu.

More than 80 percent of the people having cosmetic surgery were younger than 35.

A woman in her mid 20s from Hubei province spent the most at the hospital, paying more than 70,000 for breast augmentation, eye corner opening and double eyelid lifting.

"The woman had come before to adjust the shape of her jaw, cheekbone and to have liposuction," Xu said.

Liu Chunlong, with Shenzhen Bo'ai Medical Group, said the organization's two Shanghai hospitals completed almost 400 operations during the period.

"It started as early as Sept 23," he said. "About 40 percent were operations to enhance breasts, adjust jaws and cheekbones, face-lifts and wrinkle removal. Around 80 percent of our patients are white-collar workers."

Liu said about 20 percent of patients chose surgeons from South Korea. "They charge about twice as much as Chinese surgeons," Liu said.