Chinese students going under the knife for better job prospects

New Delhi (ANI) - A new study has found that up to 80 percent of Beijing's plastic surgery market consists of senior high school and college students hoping to improve their looks and land better jobs.

China Medical Treatment Orthopedics and Beauty Association said that the proportion is expected to hit 90 percent in the coming years, reports China Daily.

"Students believe having a better appearance increases their employment chances amid the bleak job market," researcher Xu said.

"Better looks will boost their self-confidence, they think," Xu added.

The number of students visiting cosmetic surgery clinics during summer and winter vacations has been 10 times more than in school time in the last two years, reports Southern Metropolis Daily.

Many parents, too, are now very open-minded and believe surgery can increase their children's confidence in a competitive job market, said a psychologist surnamed Weng at Shenzhen Kangning Hospital.

Young men are no longer shy in the practice either and account for 10 percent of the clients at Shenzhen Sun Hospital alone.

Ma Haihuan, director of the orthopedics department in China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, said the most common operations are for double eyelids and nose jobs, but breast implants and laser treatments are also gaining popularity.