Doctors said about 85 percent of plastic surgery repair cases were due to improper practices at private clinics, hospitals and beauty parlors.

Double eye-lid, nose reconstruction and breast augmentation procedures had the most reported problems.

Dr. Chen Fuguo from Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital said 10 to 30 percent of its patients are trying to correct mistakes from a previous surgery at another facility.

"About 40 percent of failures are due to infection, improper position or removal of the artificial part," Chen said. "Another 30 to 40 percent of repair cases are due to dissatisfaction with the new image. Repair surgery is much more difficult than the first one. All such surgery in our hospital is conducted by experienced doctors and the charge also doubles."

Repair surgeries

Shanghai Art Plastic Cosmetic & Esthetic Surgery Hospital said it provided consultation or repair surgeries to 152 people between last August and February.

"Most went to beauty parlors or small clinics," said Dr. Ren Tianping from Shanghai Art. "Many patients have to undergo at least two surgeries to undo damage from the initial operation."

Experts said people have unreasonably high expectations for cosmetic surgery.

"Some women just want a Western-style nose or eye-lid without considering their own facial features," Ren said. "Such surgery is more likely to be unsuccessful."

Doctors said beauty-seekers should evaluate the reasons and risks of a face-lift surgery or breast augmentation treatment as plastic cosmetic operation is not always a good way to improve careers or marriages.

(Shanghai Daily March 15, 2006)