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“Beauty Matching” is the Plastic Surgery Trend For Couples Who Want to Look Alike

There’s a new plastic surgery trend in town, and it’s…different.

Actually, that’s a lie. It’s the same! More accurately, it’s couples who want to look…the same. The Khaleej Times first reported on the trend in 2015, claiming it was gaining popularity in the Arab world, namely Beirut and the UAE.

“Known as ‘beauty-matching,’ couples are going under the knife in an effort to ‘complement’ each other’s looks,” the story reported. According to Dr Matteo Vigo, Chief Medical Officer at the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital (AACSH) in Dubai, performing “beauty matching” surgeries is still less common than cases where one party gets a procedure done and the results inspire their partner to get it done, too. “It is more common to see the wife coming in for treatment first. Once the husband sees his partner’s results, he comes in for surgery himself,” says Dr. Vigo.

And of course, many times these surgery date nights happen before a big event, like a couple getting botox before their wedding day together. Dr. Alan Matarasso, a board-certified plastic surgeon, explained to Allure, “People are often relatively similar in age so they may have similar complaints.”

That sounds perfectly reasonable, right?

Sure, but there is still a dark side to the beauty matching trend. There are couples who choose to go under the knife to literally look like each other. “I once had a couple who really seemed uncomfortable and almost as if they were trying to do a pressured alteration to save their relationship,” Dr. Julius Few, a board-certified plastic surgeon told Allure.

As always, plastic surgery, or any type of facial or body enhancement or alteration, should be a personal choice and not the result of pressure from an outside source. While “beauty matching” may now be on the rise in North America, doctors agree that patients considering this procedure should also strongly consider its long-term mental health effects.

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