BEIRUT, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's ongoing financial crisis has caused a collapse of the local currency and cut down the average salary of ordinary citizens by a staggering 90 percent, but it seems to provide an unexpected chance to the country's plastic surgery.
Paul Yazbek, a facial plastic surgeon, said the demand for his services, including the costly rhinoplasty surgery, was not impacted by the financial crisis.
The doctor said while there was a noticeable drop in demand among his domestic clients, he was able to compensate for this drop with the increasing demand of Lebanese expatriates from the United States, Australia, and other countries.
"I still receive a good demand on plastic surgeries while the average cost of a nose job in my clinic, for instance, is around 7,800 U.S. dollars," Yazbek told Xinhua.
Yazbek explained that many Lebanese expatriates prefer plastic surgery in Lebanon because the plummeting Lebanese pound has made plastic surgeries cheaper for dollar holders.
In addition, Lebanon has been recognized as one of the most popular centers for plastic surgery in the Middle East, boasting advanced facilities and skilled plastic surgeons.
Nabil Fakih, another plastic surgeon, said work has actually increased in his clinic as most of his clients come from Dubai, Jordan, Iraq, Greece, Europe, and the United States.
He also noted that some of the domestic patients have saved money during the COVID-19 crisis and now choose to spend the savings on personal image improvement instead of going abroad for holidays, which has become much more expensive due to the fall of the Lebanese pound.
Zeina, a young lawyer who works at a renowned law firm in Beirut, told Xinhua that even though she only earns around 264 dollars a month, she has been making great efforts to squeeze extra money from her salary to pay for regular Botox injections, which cost 300 dollars per shot.
"Changing my look for the better, of course, boosts my mood and self-confidence," Zeina told Xinhua.
Nadia Shahrur, a university professor in social psychology, said that a lack of self-confidence prompts people to ignore the ongoing crisis and focus on ways to improve their psychological well-being.
The psychologist also noted that one of the reasons behind the continuous demand for plastic surgeries in Lebanon amid a wall-to-wall financial crisis is the psychological pressure felt by people upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced them to stay in their homes for a long time.
"People felt they wanted to compensate with plastic surgery to boost their morale and improve their image," she said. ■
