(NAPSA)—Contrary to popular belief, men may be even more vain than women when it comes to their noses. What’s more, if they had their druthers, almost one quarter of men would switch noses with Mel Gibson in a heartbeat. Those findings, part of a new study by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, help explain why rhinoplasty (nose surgery) was the number one surgical cosmetic procedure undergone by men—with an increase of 64 percent since 1997. Approximately three in four (76 percent) of the people surveyed who said that they were very dissatisfied with their nose were men. What’s more, when asked which celebrities had the most desirable nose, these same male voters chose Mel Gibson (22 percent), while 16 percent chose Tom Cruise. The closest next picks were Pierce Brosnan (6 percent) and Ben Affleck (4 percent). Among the women, Nicole Kidman’s nose beat Catherine ZetaJones’ nose (18 percent vs. 12 percent). Famous actresses chosen close behind were Gwyneth Paltrow (7 percent) and Penelope Cruz (4 percent). Overall, almost exactly the same percentage of men (39 percent) as women (40 percent) say that they prefer their own nose over a celebrity's nose. After polling more than 1,000 adult men and women, the survey also revealed that nearly 20 million Americans say that they have either already undergone “a nose job” or would at least considerit. Last year, more than 80,000 nose surgeries were performed by facial plastic surgeons. Photo: Corbis Australian beauty Nicole Kidman has the most appealing nose among female celebrities, a survey reveals. “Nose surgery is popular among patients because it can improve a person’s looks and self-confidence,” says AAFPRSPresident Dr. Shan Baker. “Manyare looking to have a nose made straighter or smaller or to remove a hump. Others seek nose surgery to correct breathing problemsorto fix a broken nose.” The survey also found that men and women are not embarrassed for having undergone a “nose job,” and did tell someone about it. Of those polled who had already undergone the surgery, 81 percent mentioned it to their co-workers, 80 percent told their spouse or partner, 78 percent told family members and 71 percent told friends. The AAFPRS is the world’s largest association of facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons. To learn more, call 1-800-332- FACE or visit the Web site at www.facemd.org.
