Number of Chinese students undergoing plastic surgery on a rise

More and more Chinese students are going under the knife to enhance their appearance during the summer vacation.

The number of students undergoing plastic surgery in China has seen a sharp rise in recent weeks.

The plastic surgery laser center at the Air Force General Hospital says it receives 400 patients per day during the busiest period, and half of them are high school or college students aged between 17 to 24.

Nearly one third to half of the patients in other major plastic surgery centers or hospitals in Beijing are also students, among whom the youngest was just 15 years old.

Operations for double eyelids, adjust noses and chisel a sharper chin are the most popular choices among these students.

Majority of young people who undergo plastic surgery are students who will graduate next year, and they are hoping to spruce up their appearance for upcoming job interviews. High school students who plan to take the art schools exams and interviews and plan to have a career in entertainment in the future also opt to undergo surgery to enhance their looks.

To show a more natural and delicate appearance, some teenagers even undergo plastic surgery one or two years ahead of the art school exams, at the age of 15 or 16.

Wang Zhongjie, associate chief physician at the Air Force General Hospital says that the most common operations are for double eyelids. She did seven to eight operations in one morning during the peak period this summer.

Besides the qualified hospitals, some small unauthorized clinics which do not have a proper certificate are trying to lure young people with the promise of quick, cheap operations.

But Wang says many people who have undergone operations in these "fake" clinics have had infections or experiences other side-effects.

Experts and doctors warn that many plastic surgical operations are not suitable for teenagers, as their bodies are still growing. They stress that teenagers may not only end up being disappointed as they may not achieve the perfect appearance they dream of but also face a high risk of disfiguring their faces and young bodies.