'Chin jobs' head cosmetic-surgery list in US

More than 20,000 chin implants took place in the US last year.

Chin implants are the fastest growing type of cosmetic procedure in the US according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The body reported 20,680 operations in 2011, a 71% increase since 2010.

However, the chin implants still account for a small proportion of the overall number of cosmetic procedures taking place.

British surgeons said chin impants were rarely done in isolation but as part of a package of cosmetic surgery.

Last month, data from American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery showed liposuction was the most common cosmetic surgical procedure with 325,332 operations.

This was closely followed by breast augmentation (316,848).

However, the ASPS said the main growth was in chin implants, with almost equal numbers of men and women opting to modify their jawline.

The ASPS represents 7,000 surgeons in the US. Its president, Malcolm Roth, said: "People are considering chin augmentation as a way to restore their youthful look, just like a facelift."

One patient, Lizette Stephens, said: "I do a lot of video chats and I'm in a lot of photos and noticed that my double chin was very pronounced.

"It really, really bothered me. I wanted to do something about it."

James McDiarmid, a consultant surgeon and spokesperson for the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said: "No-one ever comes into my clinic asking for a chin implant. Nobody says 'I want to look like Bruce Forsyth'."

Instead, he says, it is being used as part of other operations such as reducing the size of a nose when "the small chin is making the nose look bigger."

Around 80% of his chin implants are part of other cosmetic surgery operations.

Mr McDiarmid said: "It is a more complex response to demands from patients."