By Jonique Gaynor, Staff Reporter

If the first thing that comes to mind when you hear plastic surgery is a breast lift and a tummy tuck, you've probably been watching too many episodes of Dr. 90210 and Nip Tuck.

According to two of the island's leading plastic surgeons, most of the plastic surgery done and requested in Jamaica is reconstructive, not cosmetic. Though admitting that there are patients who demand cosmetic treatments, the surgeons stressed that the majority of their work focuses on correcting skin disorders and burns, treating victims of accidents and violence and doing restorations and skin grafting.

Dr.Junior Taylor has been working in Jamaica for 11 years and does surgeries at the Kingston Public Hospital, the Bustamante Hospital for Children and the National Chest Hospital. He told the STAR that, "the public service does not give priority to cosmetic surgeries because they are costly in both time and material resources."

He added, however, that in his private practice, he does see patients who want cosmetic operations done and the main change he has seen in the field since he started, is an increase in the level of awareness.

Though stressing that the Jamaican plastic surgery scene was not as glamorous as that portrayed in the media, he said the majority of his cosmetic cases involved women in their 30s - 50s who wanted breast reduction surgeries, face lifts, breasts lifts and surgeries to tighten the eyelids and remove wrinkles.

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Contrary to the popular belief that the surgeries are expensive, Dr.Taylor said, "people shouldn't be deterred by the idea that it is too costly. Most people are actually surprised by the cost - it's relatively affordable. We try to ensure that people can afford our services as we want to try to spread awareness. There are people walking around with keloids for years, not knowing that a simple half hour operation can change their lives."

Like Dr.Taylor, Dr.Rajeev Venugopal has made similar observations. He has been practising for five years and agrees that plastic surgery has become much more popular than it was then.

Based at the Kingston Public Hospital, Dr.Venugopal says the demand for cosmetic surgeries is not that high and more patients sign up for reconstructive surgeries.

"More people are realising that they have problems which can be fixed," he said.

He also spoke out against the perception that, "only brown, middle and upper class women do plastic surgery. This is a misconception, that is not the case."

He too said that cosmetic surgeries are mainly requested by women between 20 and 50 and the most frequently requested surgeries are breast reductions, tummy tucks and liposuction.