What are Taiwanese students doing during summer vacation? Instead of taking classes for extra credits, earning pocket money, or traveling, many are using the time off to get beauty treatments and plastic surgery.

Cosmetology and plastic surgery clinics are reporting an increasing number of student clients since the summer break began. The Plastic Surgical Association and the Taiwan Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery have confirmed the trend. The two professional associations, which represent certified aesthetic doctors and plastic surgeons, respectively, say it is impossible to get an accurate estimate of how big the market is and how much it grows every year, mainly because such treatments are not covered by Taiwan's health insurance program.

Individual beauty clinics, however, are reporting year-on-year increases in the number of young people undergoing cosmetic procedures, with the number even doubling in July compared to previous months.

"Business in cosmetic procedures has surged in July and August due to the increasing number of student customers, whether they are from Taiwan or abroad," says Tseng Chung-ren, a dermatologist who owns a medical cosmetic center and clinic in downtown Taipei.

Tseng Chung-ren, a dermatologist, treats a patient at his medical cosmetic center in downtown Taipei. Cosmetology and plastic surgery clinics report an increasing number of student customers since the summer break began. CNA

Tseng told the Central News Agency that Taiwanese students would normally constitute 20 percent of his clientele, but that has jumped to 40 percent this summer, while another 20-30 percent are students from abroad and the remaining customers are local women aged 25-45.

Chao Tzi-kang, the director of a beauty clinic in Taipei's Ximending, a popular shopping district and a gathering place for students, has seen a similar trend, saying that student customers generally increase during the summer.

The long break provides enough time for students or newly-graduated young adults to recover from the procedures before entering a new school or the workforce, as more and more people put greater emphasis on their appearance, both Tseng and Chao observed.

The increasingly competitive job market, especially in the current economic downturn, is prompting people to acquire what they consider more advantageous features or at least get rid of blemishes and imperfections, all to improve their chances of getting hired.

"Patients come to have cosmetic treatment for a better look and to boost their confidence. The patients are getting younger and younger," Tseng said.

Even the number of elementary school students being brought in by their parents for simple treatments, such as mole removal surgery, has increased recently, he added.

Young patients go for different treatments depending on their age. Mole and birthmark removals are common for elementary school students. Acne treatments, and scar and tattoo removals are popular among high school students.

And among university students, hair removal, blepharoplasty (double eyelid surgery), and micro-plastic surgery, such as botox or rhinoplasty using hyaluronic acid, are in big demand, according to Tseng.

Hair removal procedures, especially the removal of leg hair for girls, and armpit odor treatments, are particularly popular among the college crowd, Tseng said.

The cost for the former starts at NT$30,000 ($916) and can go as high as NT$100,000, depending on the body part, while the latter ranges from NT$20,000 to NT$40,000. The popular surgery to have double eyelids, meanwhile, costs NT$30,000. Taiwanese students studying abroad opt for cosmetic treatments during their summer break because of Taiwan's high-quality medical sector and relatively low costs. Local procedures sometimes cost one-tenth the amount charged for the same procedures in Western countries, Tseng said.

There is also an increasing number of young men coming to have cosmetic procedures, according to Chao. He noted that 40 percent of his patients under the age of 20 are male and most of them come for skin treatments.

"I find that many young male patients are more open-minded than before and will even make more of an effort than before to look after their skin following the procedures," Chao said.

A senior in college surnamed Lin told CNA that he has undergone a series of laser acne scar removal treatments because the problem has bothered him for a long time.

"I decided I had had enough and that I had to get rid of it, " said Lin, who is in the final stage of the treatment with barely any marks visible on his face.

Noting that he used to feel ashamed and avoided talking to friends for fear that they would stare at his acne, Lin said the treatment helped boost his confidence in his appearance and self-esteem when facing people.

"Now I can look directly into people's eyes when I talk to them," he said.

Lin's father, who is paying for the course of six treatments that cost a total of around NT$100,000, said he totally supports his son's decision.

"My son feels that the procedures will help him look better and be more confident, and I think it is OK to do so, as long as the procedures are safe, " Lin's father said.

Chao from the Ximending clinic says more parents now bring their children to cosmetic surgery clinics to have moles and birthmarks removed because some are paying greater attention to their children's looks while others know their children worry about their flaws but are unwilling to say so.

"From a professional point of view, it is also good that many parents let their children have the procedures while they are still young, since most of the moles or birthmarks should be removed sooner rather than later," according to Chao.

Both Chao and Tseng suggested patients do some research in advance before deciding to undergo plastic surgery.

They also stressed the importance of patients having thorough discussions with doctors to help their doctor get a better feel for their needs and learn more about a treatment's effectiveness and risks.

Tseng said it is better for patients to undergo a treatment over an extended period of time rather than trying to compress procedures into a limited time frame because the risks and side-effects are lower.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 08/08/2009 page8)