Despite the demand for cosmetic surgery, little is known about the characteristics of recipients beyond the well-known gender divide. Data from a nationally representative Australian survey profiles the social background of cosmetic surgery recipients and those desiring surgery. Aside from strong gender differences, the middle-aged were most likely to desire cosmetic surgery, but older people were most likely to have had it, with body dissatisfaction also associated with desiring and having cosmetic surgery. Social status (education, occupation, income) effects and the fact that those who identify with the Liberal and National parties are more likely than Labor or Greens identifiers to have had surgery suggest it is an aspect of (upper) middle-class lifestyles and sought by those who aspire to them.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Australia, body dissatisfaction, cosmetic surgery, survey
Research Division:	Human Society
Research Group:	Sociology
Research Field:	Sociology not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Evaluation of health and support services
Objective Field:	Evaluation of health and support services not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Tranter, B (Professor Bruce Tranter)
UTAS Author:	Hanson, D (Dr Dallas Hanson)
ID Code:	85144
Year Published:	2015 (online first 2013)
Web of Science® Times Cited:	8
Deposited By:	School of Social Sciences
Deposited On:	2013-06-17
Last Modified:	2015-08-06
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