Beauty is only skin deep, they say. Yet a glance at any Beijing news stand, or a look up to the invasive billboards in Guomao or Dongzhimen invariably tells us what we long to forget: perfection exists. Some might wisely turn a blind eye, and choose different types of goals for themselves. But if your life and self esteem revolve around the image that stares back at you from a mirror, Beijing is a city of opportunity. The latest statistics on plastic surgery show a 20 per cent yearly growth in the number of procedures performed in the Middle Kingdom. Being the capital, Beijing is at the forefront of this massive market.  

China leads the world in breast augmentation, with more than 222,000 women doing it in 2009. The key word here has to be “implants”. They are of different sizes, textures, and material. They are inserted over or under the pectoral muscle through different types of incisions. Full recovery takes a few months, and can depend on which kind of surgery your doctor decided works best for you. Scars are red and raised at the beginning, but will fade and become paler and flatter with time. 

Liposuction is the second most popular type of cosmetic surgery in China. The procedure removes excess or undesirable fat from within the body using a tube attached to an aspirator. Thighs, bums and abdomens are the favourite spots to suck fat from, and recovery is relatively quick (usually less than a month.)

Blepharoplasty, better known as double eyelid surgery, is a popular procedure performed in China on increasingly young girls. A similar effect can be obtained with a piece of tape plastered on the eyelid. Many women in China resort to the knife after having endured long sessions of make up each morning, trying to give the illusion of bigger-shaped eyes. The procedure adds a crease to the eyelid, after incision and suture. Swelling and bruising should go down in a couple of weeks.

Foreigners in China are often called “big noses,” which, considered the increasing number of rhinoplasty surgeries here, should be considered a compliment. The surgeon will separate the skin on your nose from the bone and cartilage framework, which will then be sculpted to achieve the desired shape. If all goes well, you can resume your work activities a couple of weeks after having the surgery.

Among the non surgical procedures, botox is at the top. Almost 500,000 people underwent periodic botulinum injections in 2009. This neurotoxin protein, if diluted and in small doses, blocks nerves impulses and relaxes muscle contractions. In other words, insert this chemical under your skin, in two or four days, you’ll see less wrinkles and signs of your age. However you could end up looking like a dough-faced puffball, something like UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

Going under the knife can be a risky business in China. It is estimated that more than 200,000 lawsuits have been filed against plastic surgeons in the last 10 years, and simple procedures are often offered in unlicensed beauty parlors.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has published a useful checklist for patients who are considering body alterations through surgery. The checklist acronym is SURE (Surgeon, Understanding, Recovery, Expectations), and you can find details on their webpage. In brief it states what should be a given: potential patients ought to check surgeons’ credentials, understand what the procedure and the recovery process will be, and be sure of the desired outcome.

Whether you are hiding your age, or attempting to rival the world’s most beautiful people, safety should be your number one priority. It is your job to be a good consumer, and self preserve your health. Here is a tentative list of places where surgery is possible in Beijing, but be sure to have a lengthy consultation before jumping into anything, and if there’s any part of the process you feel uncomfortable with, you are under no obligation to continue and can opt out whenever.

Where to go if you do opt for plastic surgery:

EverCare Beijing Aikang HospitalView In Map
Add: 11 Shuiduizi Beili, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址：北京市朝阳区水碓子北里11号
Tel: 010 8596 3388
Website: http://www.evercare.com.cn/evercare_en/index.html

Beautytek Institute BeijingView In Map
Add: 11-102, Baihuan Jiayuan, Shuangjing Qiao, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址：北京市朝阳区双井桥百环家园 11-102
Tel: 136 0106 2611
Website: www.beautytek-china.de.tl

CSMView In Map
Add: Suite 701, Chang’an Club, 10 East Chang’an Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing
地址：北京市东城区东长安街10号长安俱乐部701室
Tel: 010 6559 6769
Website: http://www.cmsclinic.com/woman/index.htm

Beijing United Family HospitalView In Map
Add: 2 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址：北京市朝阳区讲台路2号
Tel: 010 5927 7000; hotline 010 5927 7120
Website: www.unitedfamilyhospitals.com 

Beijing Tiantan Puhua HospitalView In Map
Add: 12 Tiantan Nanli, Chongwen District, Beijing
地址：北京市崇文区天坛南里12号
Tel: 010 67035566
Website: http://www.puhuachina.com/en/cosmetic-surgery.html

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Keywords: plastic surgery in Beijing cosmetic surgery in Beijing Chinese plastic surgery