Cosmetic Surgery in East Asia

Most of the effects we see from globalization are obvious. The world has become smaller through worldwide trade and communications, with the exchange of commerce over the borders of countries that had never dealt with each other before. But it's not all about money. In many countries, the concept of beauty has also been affected.

Fuller Breasts

People are turning to cosmetic surgery to acquire physical characteristics like larger breasts, longer noses, and wider eyes. And in East Asia, where these traits are not typical, there has been a boom in such procedures.

To compensate for these demands, physicians in the area have had to improvise techniques. Very often, these are quite different from their Western counterparts. For example, Botox is used primarily in the West to combat wrinkles, while in Asia it is often injected into wide cheeks to create a slimmer facial contour.

Carving Muscle

The Koreans call it muu-dari. The Japanese call it daikon-ashi. Translated as "radish legs", it is an unfavourable nickname for calves that are wide and chunky. With the popularity of the skinny, leggy look that has almost become the universal ideal, physicians have struggled to find an answer to the problem of radish shaped calves for years. Liposuction has been proven to be ineffective, as the problem is muscle rather than fat.

While early attempts to carve the muscle made walking difficult and were extremely painful, a new technique was designed by a Korean surgeon in which a nerve could be severed just behind the knee so that the calf muscle would shrink.

Rising Popularity

People all over Asia are flocking to get cosmetic surgery, and while some of the procedures are similar to the ones we see in the West, many offer a uniquely Asian perspective.

For example, nose enlargements are all the rage in Korea, Japan, and China. The procedure involves inserting synthetic cartilage or injecting hyaluronic acid into the nose.

Another popular cosmetic surgical procedure is the widening of the eyes for both males and females by the creation of a "double" eyelid.

Cosmetic Surgery in Society