[إيليا]

Cosmetic Operations in the Arab World.

Cosmetic operations in the Arab world are not restricted to women anymore. In fact, men entered this field and became a noticed number, increasing day after day. People in the Arab world thought that cosmetics operations are against their religion. Now people approached this field, and cosmetic centers began to spread all over the Arab countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.

After the majority of cosmetics seekers use to approach Harley street in London or Beverly Hills in Los Angeles California, or Paris, seeking the best results and trying to protect their privacy for this sensitive subject. They began now to approach clinics and hospitals that spread all over the Arab countries without fear or hesitation or shyness. In addition to high cost they used to pay, and spending most of their vacations in treatment. The Author of "Everything Women Should Know about Cosmetic Surgery" Dr. Jan Adams said "Although many patients think of plastic surgeries as a quick and permanent fix, it's likely that few understand its risks and frequently temporary results."

According to the statistics of the International Society of Cosmetics Doctors in 2001, which had been counted from about 850 members all around 30 countries, the U.S ranked first according to total numbers of cosmetics operations performed there for 21%, followed by Brazil 14%, then Mexico 8%. As for the Arab countries that participated in this statistics, Jordan came in the 22nd place with 0.47%, Egypt 24th for 0.33%, and last U.A.E 26th for 0.27%.

Cosmetic operations include two important types: the first are the corrective operations and the other one are operations done for good look such as lipo suction and others. The first cosmetic operation in the Arab world had been done in Libya, as a face lifting at the 70's. From where cosmetics operations find large success and great admiration in Libya during the last three years. Currently there are about 200 abdomen make up done in Libya every year for both men and women. More people from Arab countries are approaching Libya seeking this kind of operation for less money, which represent about 5-15% of the cost of similar operation in Europe.

Some Saudis think that cosmetics operations cope to the scientific, social, cultural and civil progress in any society, which leaded to substantial progress in this field especially during the last 15 years, while on the other side numbers of Saudi surgeons who obtained postgraduate study certificates in the field of cosmetics operation are increasing. The cost of cosmetics operations in the Kingdom depends on the type of the operation's difficulty and the experience of the performing surgeon. However, there are those kinds of cosmetics operations that deal with accidents results, burns and scratches, and the costs of such operations are moderate and affordable to all. As for the cosmetics operations that are aimed to beauty and appearance, they're more costly, including lipo suction to improve the body. In addition to stable the stomach and its result of weight increase and frequent pregnancies for women, and reform to breast enlargement for men, that cause them great embarrassment, so they're forced to go to these cosmetics operations.

On of the main cosmetics operations that both men and women approach so many cases are nose reform operations. Generally, the cost is between 8000-20,000 riyals. As for face tailor it can cost up to 12,000 riyals and will hold till more than 10 years. The most interesting in Saudi cases is that a large numbers of Saudi women go to the clinics secretly and they request their noses to be reformed to be like their star idol. Jeddah cosmetics hospitals receive more than 120 women weekly so they can be like their idol. In the U.A.E cosmetics operations also wide spread especially during the last five years, and more people are approaching cosmetic centers in Dubai. The most interesting is that men are approaching these kinds of operations like hair implanting, removing excess fat and nose operations. That represents the majority of cosmetics operations and reached about 60%.

Breast operations witnessed great progress in Egypt, which is the most famous operation on the country, and total number of operations might reach till 25,000 each year. According to Sayidaty magazine issue 8937, 35% of Egyptian women are between 17 and 50 years old, are considered obese, and 45% are under the excess weight.

Nose and ear operations fever shifted to Qatar, where men and women are crowding in the cosmetics centers, which assured women obsession on these operations weather they're in the face, chest or abdomen. Nose operations are witnessing great attraction from both men and women. The costs of such operations are between 8,000-20,000 SR, depending on length and difficulty of the operation and the surgeon's reputation


As for Lebanon it is known that around 10,000 operations are done annually in this field, 30% of which aren't for Lebanese, and most of them are from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. The first specialized hospital in cosmetics affairs had been established in 1999, and it receive about 140 operations every month, which means more than 1680 operations annually, 40% of which are for visitors who come from outside Lebanon and most of them are from the Gulf. It is noticed that total number of males who approach such kinds of operations are increasing while they represent about 30% of people who seek to have operations and most of them are doing nose operations.

Despite the large numbers of operations, cosmetics operations aren't yet considered a phenomenon against traditions, especially if we know that in the USA total number of women who performed operations reached more than 23 million last year. This issue isn't simple, as cosmetics operations veil so many risks, the most important which are the elements used in it, especially those used to enlarge lips or breasts, that are done through silicon or through water and salt.

Silicon is known for its toxic, especially its relation to breast cancer, as reports had been published in New York Times last month, which leaded to failure to some of companies that deals with this stuff. During 1998 Daewoo chemicals, the largest silicon manufacturer paid about 3.2 billion dollars to a large number of people who had suffered from their product. "Another competitive inhibitor is botox. We recognize that one way to cause wrinkles on the skin is muscle contraction and what botox does is essentially smooth out those wrinkles by paralyzing the muscles. "Said Dr. Adams

To sum up, people now are not satisfied with what God has given them. Instead of thanking Him, they torture themselves and pay fortune just to look beautiful, not knowing that beauty is the confidence that comes from the heart and soul not just a phony figure