News: Pressure to look young rises in direct correlation to age of pundits quoted

Women under pressure to look pretty

By HAYMAN KAMALA

Eight out of 10 New Zealand women feel under pressure to look younger, and a growing number would consider cosmetic surgery, according to asurvey released yesterday. The 2005 Olay national skin care survey found 21 per cent of women aged 20 to 80 would consider surgery to turn the clock back – a rise of 1% on the 2004 survey. Of the 1413 women questioned, 36% would consider collagen injections, 40% chemical peels, 62% micro-dermabrasion, and 63% laser skin resurfacing – all were significant leaps on 2004. The results follow earlier evidence from the New Zealand Foundation for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery that members have reported a leap in demand for their services of between 30 and 50 per cent in the last two years.

Environment Canterbury councillor and editor of the Fashion NZ website, Nicky Wagner, 52, said women had always tried to improve their looks with make-up and clothing. But with information about cosmetic surgery now readily available, more realised it was an option.

"Every time you look at Fashion Quarterly or Vogue they are talking about cosmetic surgery. That wasn't happening five years ago." Surgery was becoming mainstream, Wagner said.

Columnist "of a mysterious age" Rosemary McLeod said women were under more pressure to be youthful than ever before."We see ourselves increasingly as having a role to consume and to be buying all the things that are to do with the idea of eternal youth and being eternally active."

While some were citing wrinkly rocker Keith Richards as a style guru, McLeod said women would "search in vain" for a similarly ageing role model. Asked if she would consider cosmetic surgery, McLeod said: "No, Iwouldn't know where to stop."

Only last week it was revealed that British prime minister Tony Blair spent nearly twice as much on make-up as the average British woman, at $NZ4600 over the past six years. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt, 58, reckoned men were struggling to accept ageing with grace.
"There's been quite a crossover. A lot of men are getting botox."

While Shadbolt preferred to "get old with dignity" he did not rule out cosmetic surgery "if my film star career takes off"

The Press (Christchurch), 2 August 2005

[Chemical peels? Sounds like something Saddam Hussein might use]