China is trying to catch up with the Western world in the fastest possible way, and at the same time copying those lifestyles that are associated with the “West”. It is therefore not surprising that Chinese women are trying to look like European women (as a matter of fact: Caucasian). They let themselves remove eye wrinkles, increase the size and raise the bridge of their nose (yes, indeed!), and enlarge their breasts. The opinion of being more successful in professional life by having a Caucasian appearance is the most frequently mentioned reason – typical Chinese. Thus, there is even demand for leg-lengthening surgeries, despite all the risks involved and associated pain. It seems – that even in China, one must suffer to be beautiful.
Recently I saw a TV documentary reporting about a special contest held in China: The prize was supposed to be awarded to the woman who had altered her body the most by means of plastic surgery. The beauty contest was organized by plastic surgeons and manufacturers of silicone implants. Anyone was able to admire all sorts of optimization victims: Women who underwent silicone breast augmentations, liposuctions, nose surgeries, upper eyelid corrections; among them was a woman who had undergone gender reassignment surgery beforehand.
These are the results of greed for profit that has also driven the crazy plastic surgery in the Western world: A mechanistic practicable mindset fools into believing that as many body parts as possible need to be changed by artificial means. We constantly get to see the pitiful results on the “Society” pages in the media! But, while many people here already reject this type of “beautification”, it is propagated in China as reverence for the Western consumer culture.
I allow myself to predict that soon there will be also rejection formed against those exaggerated outgrowths of plastic surgery among Chinese men and women. Even in China, the more gentle treatments in the field of New Cosmetic Surgery will also make their way. Initial signs have already been recognized in Asia for a long time: Methods of breast augmentation with stem cells and stem cell-enriched autologous fat transfer for facial rejuvenation have already been offered for years in Shanghai. Those Japanese physicians, who perform these techniques in Japan since 2003, have simply expanded to China.
Since 2006, we are performing in Viennawith these new methods making silicon and scalpel in most cases superfluous and enable patients in a gentle manner to perfect their natural beauty. In addition to aesthetic stem cell therapies and microcannular liposuction, many cosmetic problems can also be successfully treated – completely without snatching and firming treatment of symptoms – by a therapy using bioidentical hormones (Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, BHRT). Depending on the individual goal of therapy, a combination of various treatments may be recommended.
A question that remains unanswered is whether the trend reversal towards the particularly gentle and safe New Cosmetic Surgery techniques is still going to take place in theUnited Statesat first. Otherwise,Chinawould not only be ahead by a nose economically, but would also be in the fast lane in comparison to the Western world when it comes to cosmetic surgery by using innovative methods of treatment.
DDr. Heinrich, MD