Plastic surgery taking off in Beirut

Why is 海角大神 Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The 海角大神 Science Church, and we鈥檝e always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we鈥檝e aimed 鈥渢o injure no man, but to bless all mankind,鈥� as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you鈥檒l find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences 鈥� a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us

Global News Blog

Plastic surgery taking off in Beirut

Plastic surgery is booming in Lebanon, where some tourism companies are arranging 'cosmetic surgery tours' to accommodate demand from inside and from outside the country.

By Josh Wood Contributor

Sept. 15, 2010, 11:37 a.m. ET | Beirut, Lebanon

鈥� A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.

First-time visitors to downtown Beirut鈥檚 swanky cafes might initially be surprised at the number of women (and occasionally men) sporting bandages across their noses 鈥� a telltale sign of the popularity of plastic surgery in .

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a taboo,鈥� says Elias Chammas, the medical director of the Hazmieh International Medical Center in the hills above Beirut. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like putting on makeup.鈥�

Plastic surgery has become so popular here that Beirut banks even offer special loans to those seeking to go under the knife.

Members of the industry agree that it has become a booming trade.

Companies working under programs endorsed by the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism bring in visitors from around the world on 鈥渃osmetic-surgery tours,鈥� and Dr. Chammas estimates that about half of his clinic鈥檚 business comes from outside Lebanon.

鈥淭here are lots of people of Lebanese origin coming here,鈥� says Chammas, 鈥渁nd they come because it鈥檚 cheaper and they get to see their relatives and the country is nice.鈥�