Face-lifts a neat line in Christmas gifts

Gift vouchers have always been popular Christmas presents, but instead of buying a book, you can now get a tummy tuck.

Cosmetic surgery clinics have been doing a booming Christmas business in gift vouchers for plastic surgery.

The Advanced Cosmetic Institute, which operates four clinics in the Republic, sold more than 60 vouchers before Christmas, including three for face-lifts.

At least 15 gift vouchers were bought for men, according to the institute's director, Ms Halina Ashdown-Sheils. Nose jobs and fat removal were the most requested procedures for men, while breast enlargement was the most popular type of surgery for women.

Ms Ashdown-Sheils said that the clinics began offering vouchers following requests from husbands, partners and wives.

Her Dublin clinic had been "extremely busy" in the week between Christmas and New Year as people used their vouchers. Non-surgical treatments such as Dysport - an advanced form of Botox - were very popular; these cost from €200.

A full face-lift, including upper and lower eye-bag removal, costs €5,999. "It probably costs less than a cruise," Ms Ashdown-Sheils said. "If you have been married to someone for 20 years and \ borne their children, then you are entitled to it."

The Harley Medical Group, which has a clinic in Dublin, also noticed a strong demand for gift vouchers before Christmas, according to Ms Bernice Duignan, training manager.

"We had a lot of calls about them, with partners trying to get an idea of price," she said. Laser hair removal was a popular treatment, followed by collagen injections for eyes and lips.

Meanwhile, calls have been made for regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry in the Republic after British newspapers reported that a plastic surgeon was being sued by at least 12 women who claimed that their operations had been botched.

The Republic does not have a regulatory body for cosmetic surgery. The Department of Health, the Irish Medical Council and the Irish Medicines Board all said that it was not an issue for them. Patients' groups have called for a regulatory body to enforce standards here and ensure proper provision of after-care services.