Jaw surgery – the new beauty fad

Image-conscious South Koreans are trying the latest procedure in plastic surgery to enhance their looks – double-jaw surgery. After having a nose job and eye reshaping, those who want the "perfect" jaw can opt to go under the knife for what is a major operation. Despite the surgery requiring months of painful recovery, dozens of South Korean celebrities have appeared on television showing off their chiselled new look. And "chiselled" is a key word to describe how surgeons cut away at the upper and lower jaw bones to sculpt the coveted "V-shaped" jawline. Many of the celebrities explained to chat show hosts how their reshaped chins have led to a "turning point" in their careers.

However, not everyone is recommending the operation. Many doctors are advising people against having the surgery for cosmetic reasons. Dr Choi Jin-Young, from the Seoul National University, talked to the AFP news agency of the dangers of the operation. He said: "It's a very complex, potentially dangerous surgery…It's disturbing to see people with no real dental flaws daring to go through it just to have a small, pretty face." There are many reports of the surgery going terribly wrong. One young woman wrote: "My mouth keeps moving leftward and the jaw area has gone numb. I can't even feel when saliva keeps dripping out of my mouth." One woman committed suicide after post-surgery complications.