Abstract:

Beauty has been of major concern to people since ancient times. Think, for example, of the Greek statues. But in the 21st century beauty seems to have become a hype. Perfectly styled female and male bodies and faces flood not only Playboy magazines and Pirelli calendars but a whole range from yellow press to soap operas.In Germany, the situation of the market for cosmetic surgery was quite unclear until 2005. Data were missing concerning the number of suppliers and customers of cosmetic surgery as well as concerning the quality of surgery results and the qualification of the suppliers.The German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection therefore funded a research project concerning a review of market supply, problems and need for consumer-oriented political action.The study presented is by our knowledge the most comprehensive study ever done in Europe.