A Body-Conscious Society

Ever-popular liposuction studies have found that body image and preferred body shape for Egyptian women is strikingly similar to those of American women. Many chalk up the shared perceptions to the growing popularity of American television in the region. In Egypt, plastic surgery costs less—approximately half the amount it does in the United States—and women of means opt for procedures that mirror those performed in the U.S., including breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty and facelifts, while hair-restoration procedures are popular among men. According to Egyptian plastic surgeon Dr. Wael El Shaer, liposuction is the most popular cosmetic procedure performed in the country; he performs most of his liposuction surgeries on the abdomen, thighs and buttocks.