As someone who believes in equality for men and women, I suppose in theory I should welcome any closing of any gap between the sexes. But I can honestly say I take no pleasure in knowing that men are feeling the same crushing pressure to be slim and โ€œperfectโ€, to focus on their looks at the expense of intellectual endeavours, as their girlfriends, wives mothers and daughters. They too have learned to hate their bodies – how utterly depressing.

Now, donโ€™t get me wrong. People are free to spend their money on whatever they wish. If it makes you happy to โ€œimproveโ€ the way you look, then fundamentally it is no oneโ€™s business but your own. After all, women have been doing this with make-up and hair dye for hundreds of years. The plastic surgeons carrying out the operations, meanwhile, maintain cosmetic surgery has many beneficial psychological effects.

I wonder, however, how long-term and genuine these benefits really are.