Created on 30th November -0001
Demand for cosmetic surgery is being driven partly by the rising popularity of makeover reality TV shows, a new report has revealed.
According to a new study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, a significant proportion of people opting to undergo cosmetic or weight reduction surgery are likely to have been influenced by such programmes.
Singled out in the study are the examples of Australia's 'The Biggest Loser', which saw two million people watch the eventual winner shed almost half of their original body weight, and the US show 'The Swan', in which the champion was sculpted through cosmetic dentistry and 13 separate surgical procedures.
However, study author Professor Keith Petrie, from the University of Auckland's Department of Psychological Medicine, warned would-be patients not to get too carried away by such shows, arguing that cosmetics improvements are often long-term projects.
He added that more research needs to be carried out into the effects extreme makeover shows have on both participants and viewers. 
