Brazil overtakes US as cosmetic surgery capital

Sao Paulo - Move over Beverly Hills: image-conscious Brazil has overtaken the United States as the world's capital of cosmetic surgery.

O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper on Sunday quoted official figures as saying the South American giant had recorded 1.49 million procedures in 2013, outstripping the United States by more than 40 000.

The paper reported that the roaring trade is explained by easier access to credit for cosmetic procedures, allowing patients to pay off the costs of surgery over several years, and the solid reputation of cosmetic surgeons in Brazil.

Liposuction and silicon breast implants were the most popular procedures, although surgeries involving the face and nose were growing in popularity.

The number of rhinoplasties soared from 43 809 in 2011 to 77 224 last year, the paper reported.