THE number of men having plastic surgery to improve their appearance almost doubled last year as the popularity of nose jobs, facelifts and other anti-ageing procedures continued to grow.

More than 22,000 operations were carried out on men and women in 2005, an increase of 35 per cent on 2004, according to the annual audit of members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

The number of women opting for cosmetic surgery increased by a third to 19,601. Male interest also increased, particularly for facial alterations and for anti-ageing operations.

Of the 2,440 operations carried out on men, the most popular were rhinoplasty (nose job), blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), otoplasty (ear pinning), liposuction and face or neck lifts. Male procedures represented 11 per cent of all cosmetic operations, up from 9 per cent in 2004.

The audit, published today, also shows that of the procedures that were carried out on women, 5,646 were breast enlargements, 2,868 were blepharoplasties and 2,593 breast reductions.

Adam Searle, a consultant plastic surgeon and president of the association, said that the figures showed an increasing public confidence in cosmetic surgery. “These figures appear to represent a growing acceptance of aesthetic surgery, particularly in maintaining appearance with age and the number of men choosing to undergo surgery,” Mr Searle, a consultant surgeon at the Royal Marsden Hospital, southwest London, said.

“With the increasing media coverage that provides the public with ever more information on what surgical procedures might achieve, it is essential that our members continue to promote responsible practices.” Mr Searle said that the association was committed to providing independent advice. He suggested that the standards set by the association did not apply to “at least 200 surgeons” operating in Britain.

The number of nose jobs performed on men increased from 462 to 735, according to the audit. Anti-ageing procedures — facelifts, eyelid surgery and brow lifts — rose among both sexes in 2005, by 42 per cent, 50 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.

Douglas McGeorge, a consultant plastic surgeon and president-elect of BAAPS, said that the figures illustrated a growing desire for Britons to feel good about their appearance. “A growing awareness of the procedures available and their continued safety are all contributors to the popularity of cosmetic procedures,” he said.

“Under the right circumstances, aesthetic surgery can have a very positive psychological impact and improve a patient’s quality of life.” Concerns have been raised by doctors about what they call a growing “commoditisation” of cosmetic surgery that violates the code of ethics of good medical practice. Criticism has been levelled at companies offering operations as prizes, and clinics offering “loyalty card” schemes.

The popularity of television programmes such as Extreme Makeover and Ten Years Younger have also been blamed for coaxing many people into treatment. According to research by the polling company YouGov, almost half of women and a quarter of all men in the UK would consider having cosmetic surgery.

Rajiv Grover, the surgeon who conducted the audit, said: “It is essential to be selective in choosing the right practitioner, as the results are long-lasting but complications can be permanent.”

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