Lebanon’s financial collapse hits where it hurts – women’s beauty

Lebanon’s financial collapse hits where it hurts – women’s beauty

BEIRUT: The face mask, used as a measure against the spread of COVID-19, has forced Lebanese women to change their beauty and make-up habits. The array of cosmetics that were usually worn have been stripped back to merely mascara because socializing is out and social distancing is in. But the beauty regimes of Lebanese women have been affected by the country's financial crisis as much as the global health crisis. Lebanon's cosmetic and plastic surgery sectors, which are leaders in the Middle East region, are also feeling the pinch. Dr. Elie Abdel Hak, who is head of the Lebanese Society of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, said the sector had experienced a decline. "Reconstructive surgeries make up no more than 4 percent of our work, while the largest percentage is for cosmetic surgeries for women looking for perfection," he told Arab News. Medical centers and cosmetic doctors are scattered across Lebanon and are not confined to Beirut. Specialisms include plastic surgery, non-surgical plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery. The internet is loaded with addresses of beauty centers in Lebanon offering packages for cosmetic surgery with accommodation, even tourism and entertainment programs. "There are 104 plastic surgeons in Lebanon, 50 percent of