Cosmetic surgery a way to boost confidence?

Women, in general, are the main consumers of plastic surgery here and the few men who do go for treatments -- 8 percent of Jakarta Skin Center clients -- are reluctant to speak about it as it is often considered not very macho.

People have cosmetic surgery for a variety of reasons and they experience varying results. Some of them shared their experiences with The Jakarta Post this week.

Komang, originally from a small village and Hindu by religion, had cosmetic surgery 15 years ago, not long after marrying a man from a higher caste. "My husband suggested that I have surgery on my nose which looked a little too flat," said the 49-year-old executive secretary.

Her husband, a successful businessman, wanted her to go to Japan for the operation but she preferred to see a cosmetic surgeon in Jakarta.

"I told the surgeon I wanted my nose not too flat and not too pointed but well shaped. It was important as I had to accompany my husband when meeting business associates here and abroad," she explained.

Though she found it very expensive at the time -- Rp 5 million -- Komang said she was instantly happy with the results and has had a very professional check up once a year to ensure that her nose is okay. "Apart from the first week when I could not rub it at all, there were no particular side effects," she added.

Hanny, a 43-year-old school headmistress, had cosmetic surgery two years ago to change the look of her eyes.

"Like most Chinese people I have no eyelids so it's difficult to do makeup. I had the surgery because I wanted to have bigger eyes," she said.

The operation Hanny had was a Bleparoplasty, which involved cutting a crease above her eyes. After surgery her eyes were sore and swollen. When they were still like that some time afterwards she began to be concerned. Although some months later her eyes improved Hanny was still unhappy with the results.

"They look like goldfish eyes," she said, adding she was not at all happy and thought it may have been the first time the doctor did this procedure.

Despite her uncomfortable experience Hanny was undeterred in her quest for bigger eyes. "I am trying to save some money for further surgery but I want to get a better doctor this time, can you suggest anyone?" she joked.

Dovie did not like the fact that she had very thin, almost invisible eyebrows. Every morning she found it too time consuming to have to draw on her eyebrows with a pencil.

"It was so hard to get then both the same shape and thickness, just one mistake and I had to remove the lot and start again," the 48-year-old housewife said.

Dovie decided to see a professional beautician and have permanent eyebrows tattooed on her face as well as permanent eye shadow.

"She's not a doctor but she's a professional at this. People come from far and wide to see her as she is the best and not too expensive," she said, satisfied with her new look.

Although the beautician applied a local anesthetic around her eyes during the 30-minute procedure, Dovie said it did hurt and it took three days for the ink to dry. The eye shadow did not dry for a week.

"The color will continue to fade over the next five years but if I have a formal event or special occasion I just add more color. Otherwise I think I look fine!" she said.

Imam, a 38-year-old police officer, has been concerned recently about his hair loss. He began using a hair tonic from a beauty parlor but it has not given the results he was hoping for.

"I have to meet many important people in my work and I would feel more confident with all my hair back," he said, adding he will give the tonic a few weeks more before looking for another solution.

"I've been planning to have a hair transplant," he said though he was reluctant to decide for sure. "But I am afraid the results might not be that good afterwards."

-- David Kennedy