More young men go under the knife to boost ‘life chances’

Changing looks: Chinese actor Nai Wen showing photos of himself before and after undergoing cosmetic surgery. — AFP

Beijing: Worried his appearance would detract from opportunities in China’s competitive society, Xia Shurong decided to go under the surgeon’s knife to reshape his nose – one of millions of young men in the country turning to cosmetic surgery.

The 27-year-old researcher wanted medical procedures to transform his look from “engineering geek” to something he thinks will boost his life chances.

Beauty standards in China can be exacting, from pressure over skin tone, eye and nose shape to the controversial “little fresh meat” look – a buzzword used to describe handsome young men with delicate features.

“I feel I should be ‘fresh meat’ at my age, but I already look like a middle-aged uncle,” explained Xia.

Xia had already spent 40,000 yuan (RM9,092) on a face-filler procedure earlier this year.

“I grew up in the countryside – my face was dark, my skin was bad, I thought my appearance was not good in general,” he said, adding that he had long planned to rework his face.

The intense popularity of Chinese social media – rife with trends in cosmetic procedures, beauty “tutorials” and advice on how to become “beautiful” – has added to the pressure for many.

Growing numbers of educated men in China are opting for aesthetic and surgical procedures to give them the edge.

According to iResearch, around 17% of male white collar workers in China have had cosmetic treatments and the vast majority of men had their first procedure before the age of 30. — AFP