Cosmetic head and face surgery--ethnic considerations.

In recent years there has developed an "image awareness" among various racial and ethnic groups throughout the world. Perhaps because people live longer, a greater sense of self-esteem based on the way one looks has developed. The communications media are highly promotional of interest in one's self. People want to feel good and look good, even if it requires blepharoplasty, face-lift, rhinoplasty, dermabrasion, or other types of cosmetic surgery. It is interesting that persons born in one place, and for business or personal reasons transposed to another part of the world, soon desire to remold their physical and cultural images in accordance with the practices and customs of their new milieux. This paper addresses these problems.