Tools of the trade. Photo: Getty Images
It’s going to take a lot more than a recession to stop these ladies from getting plastic surgery.
In Venezuela, where the next Miss Universe just might be your neighbor, inflation is up a whopping 20 percent the first 10 months of this year, but that’s not preventing women from finding money for facelifts, liposuction and breast augmentation, reports Reuters.
“The financial crisis has spurred people to spend more on themselves … to console themselves in this crisis. I have not seen demand diminishing,” Peter Romer, a plastic surgeon in Caracas, told the source.
While we think a trip to the spa does the trick, some Venezuelans see plastic surgery as a necessity.
“With the economy, one has to make sacrifices, because you don’t have the money. So, you get it from credit cards, from family and you pay for it,” said 57-year-old Iris Delgado, who borrowed about $3,250 for an eyelid tuck.
The if-you-don’t-like-it-get-surgery culture has spawned some seriously skewed views on the practice.
Helen Patino, a 37-year-old mother and former model who has had three breast augmentations herself, is already plotting for her young daughter.
“I told my husband, ‘Look honey, if she has your nose, she’s going to get surgery,’” Paltino told the news site.
Others see it as part of growing up (albeit artificially).
“It’s a transformation from being a girl to being a woman,” said Prem Pratita, who was one of the last among her friends to have breast work.
Venezuelan plastic surgeon Angel Pena told Reuters: “Everybody has a breast augmentation. By nature, human beings have the desire to look better … this desire is timeless and it’s a desire that doesn’t depend on your economic situation … it’s not that frivolous.”
So, have you had plastic surgery? Are you willing to rack up a credit card bill to have work done? Or are these women in need of some serious mental help? Tell us what you think in a comment!
Venezuelans aren’t alone in their quest for perfection. These Tinseltown celebs are rumored to have been artificially enhanced.
Plastic Surgery Hotter Than Ever in Venezuela originally appeared on StyleList on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.