Teenage girls 'would consider plastic surgery'

Teenage girls hate their bodies so much that more than two-thirds would consider plastic surgery, a survey says today.

One in five of the 12- to 18-year-old girls questioned said they would submit to the surgeon's knife right now. Another 50 per cent would consider surgery in the future. The survey-asked the girls which part of their bodies they were the most dissatisfied with.

Almost half said they disliked their stomachs, 40 per cent are unhappy with their legs and a third hate their breasts. A quarter are most unhappy with their noses. More than half have been on a diet and a third admit to skipping meals, the survey of more than 1,800 girls discovered.

Other findings from research by the teenage website mykindaplace.com included:

Website editor Annie Auerbach said she was shocked by how many teenagers were prepared to have plastic surgery and blamed the growing trend on television programmes-such as Ten Years Younger and Extreme Makeovers.

She said: "I think the number of makeover shows that incorporate plastic surgery make it just another option. You get your hair done, your nails - and a nip and tuck."

The research also found that teenagers were cynical about advertising and would prefer to see more realistic role models advertising beauty products.

Most of the girls questioned considered real beauty to be "being comfortable with yourself " rather than having perfect skin and hair.