Increasing numbers of Britons are taking advantage of seasonal discounts on cosmetic surgery in the December break and using the time off work to recover from operations before facing colleagues.
Plastic surgeons say the demand for procedures such as breast enhancement, facial surgery and liposuction is 50% higher in December than in an average month. They also report a 30% higher demand for non-surgical treatments such as lip enhancement and Botox.
Cosmetic surgery also appears to be recession-proof, with demand rising 20-30% for non-surgical treatments in the month to 23 December compared with the same period last year, and up to 9% for invasive treatments. One consultant reported a rise in demand of 15-20% for surgical treatments from last year. Popular procedures are weight-loss related, such as tummy tucks and liposuction.
