IMAGE: VIA ISAPS.
Between Joan Rivers, Bruce Jenner, and the Playboy Mansion, the United States has certainly earned a reputation for being, shall we say, a little less than au naturel when it comes to matters of beauty. Indeed, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons claims that 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2012, up five percent from the previous year. What can we say? We're vain.
But, we're hardly the worst offenders. According to data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and Goldman Sachs, it's Italy, Greece, and South Korea who are the biggest fans of cosmetic procedures. Here we thought it was all that olive oil that made everyone look so damn good.
In 2011, the three countries had the highest percentages of aesthetic procedures per 1,000 people, though Brazil, Columbia, and (hey there) the U.S. aren't far behind. If it's natural beauty you're after, the map shows that much of Africa, Scandinavia, and Greenland are fairly surgery-free.
Well, well, well. We can hardly toot our own horn, but it's a little comforting to know that the Donatella Versaces of the world have us beat. (Business Insider)