NEW YORK, January 28 /PRNewswire/ --

- Landmark Worldwide Survey of Leading Plastic Surgeons

- Jolie, Kidman, Anderson, Loren, Bundchen, Pitt, and Clooney Favored

We hear it every day, "Oh, I wish I could look like Angelina." Or, "Oh, to have Brad's abs -- I'd do anything." With increasing availability of aesthetic plastic surgery, ongoing improvement and refinements in procedures, and numerous payment plans available, some of these wishes are coming true. But do the celebrity images that overwhelm popular media have any influence on the decisions people make about their plastic surgery?

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS - www.isaps.org), the world's leading authority in the field, recently asked surgeons: What Influences Do Celebrities Have on the Decisions Patients Make?

The survey was sent to over 20,000 plastic surgeons in 84 countries. Surgeons were asked to connect celebrity names with eleven popular procedures for both men and women. The findings of this non-scientific, anecdotal questionnaire revealed fascinating trends. As the Society's President, Dr. Bryan Mendelson of Melbourne, Australia observed in a recent interview, "What we learned from this survey underscores the Society's on-going international efforts in continuing public education about how to choose the right plastic surgeon. People need to research a surgeon's training, experience and affiliations so they can make informed decisions and know what to reasonably expect from plastic surgery as well as non-invasive procedures."

If there was any doubt that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are the world's number one celebrity couple, the ISAPS Survey puts those doubts to rest. Jolie and Pitt's names came up more often and for more body areas than virtually any other individuals. There were also numerous local celebrities who influenced some choices and a number of references to more classic beauties, leading among them Sophia Loren followed by Elizabeth Taylor.

The Survey was included in the electronic version of the Society's newsletter, ISAPS News, published three times a year in partnership with Quality Medical Publishing (www.qmp.com), the world's leading publisher of plastic surgery books, media and online education.

THE WOMEN

Breasts and lips were the leading categories for celebrity choices by women followed by buttocks, nose and abdomen. The categories are listed in order of popularity.

Breasts - The clear choice for breast look-alikes was Pamela Anderson, followed by Brazilian beauty Gisele Bundchen, American pop princess Britney Spears and Xuxa, a popular Brazilian entertainer. Interestingly, this question elicited negative comments from surgeons expressing their patients' opinions. A significant percentage of responding doctors reported that women often mentioned celebrities they did not want to look like. Pamela Anderson also led this group, followed by Dolly Parton and Victoria Beckham.

Lips - Angelina Jolie was the overwhelming leader as the lips of choice for women undergoing this procedure. The alternate reference for lips was Julia Roberts.

Buttocks - The leading choice was Jennifer Lopez - by a huge percentage. Other choices included Juliana Paes of Brazil, and Americans Halle Berry and Sandra Bullock.

Nose - There was no doubt that Nicole Kidman's nose was a clear favorite for women around the world. Secondary choices included Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Xuxa, and in a nod to classicism, Grace Kelly and Tasmanian born Princess Mary of Denmark.

Abdomen - In some cultures, revealing midriffs is a fashion statement. The favorite choice among women around the world is Giselle Bundchen, followed closely by Shakira, Demi Moore, Britney Spears (early in her career), and Thalia (Mexico).

Eyes - Angelina Jolie was the clear favorite in this category. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Demi Moore, Michelle Pfeiffer and Salma Hayek were also prominent. And, proving that cinematic beauty is eternal, there were numerous references to Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Catherine Deneuve and Greta Garbo.

Cheeks - The woman most often referenced was Sophia Loren, followed by Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie and Marilyn Monroe.

Legs - There was a three-way tie in this category: Tina Turner, Sharon Stone and Cameron Diaz, followed by Jennifer Lopez.

Hair - Though hair implants are not as common for women as for men, the leading choice was Gisele Bundchen, followed closely by Jennifer Aniston and Julia Roberts.

Chin - There was no clear cut leader in this category. Among the names referenced were Sonia Braga, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron.

Forehead - This was the least referenced category of the eleven choices. Leading the selections were Nicole Kidman, Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor and Oprah Winfrey.

THE MEN

Abdomen, nose and eyes were the three top categories for men, followed by chest, chin and buttocks. The categories are listed in order of popularity.

Abdomen - Brad Pitt just beat out Matthew McConaughey. They were followed by action film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme and soccer great David Beckham.

Nose - This category was led by Brad Pitt, followed by George Clooney. There were numerous mentions by doctors who noted that patients expressed personal concerns that any procedure would not leave them looking like Michael Jackson.

Eyes - The top three men referenced in this category were George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck.

Chest - Arnold Schwarzenegger was the overwhelming choice followed by Paulo Zulu (Brazil).

Chin - Many more doctors referenced celebrity influences on male chin procedures than women. The most often referenced were Clooney and Pitt followed by Kirk Douglas, Ricky Martin, Antonio Banderas and Errol Flynn.

Buttocks - Here Brad Pitt had the clear lead with Mel Gibson, Ricky Martin and Paulo Zulu following.

Cheeks - There was a tie in the category between Clooney and Pitt. Tom Cruise and Paulo Zulu followed.

Lips - Clooney and Pitt led followed by Antonio Banderas and Korean movie star Dong-Kun Jang.

Hair - Tom Cruise led followed by David Beckham.

Legs - David Beckham led followed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Forehead - Cruise and Pitt tied in this category.

ISAPS recommendations for choosing the best plastic surgeon: 1. Determine if the surgeon is board certified or approved by a medical board to practice plastic surgery specifically. 2. Ask to speak with former patients who have had the same procedure. 3. Is the surgeon a trained plastic surgeon? Dermatologists and gynecologists are not trained in plastic surgery. 4. Research the prospective surgeon on the Internet. Check their website or go through Surgeon Finder on the ISAPS website at www.isaps.org. 5. Society affiliations are very important. Is the surgeon a member of the plastic surgery society in his or her country and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery? Most national societies have membership requirements that protect the public.

"One recommendation we always make to patients looking for advice is do your research," observed Atlanta, Georgia based Dr. Foad Nahai, First Vice President of the Board of ISAPS and a noted author and professor of aesthetic plastic surgery. "Women will spend weeks looking for just the right decorator or dress for an important event - why shouldn't they (as well as men) spend equally serious time locating the right plastic surgeon."

Web site: http://www.isaps.org http://www.qmp.com

ISAPS Congress - Melbourne, Australia: February 10-13, 2008. Contacts for information and interviews: Tony Staffieri, tonystaf@sover.net, or Rick Willis, +61-41-183-9344 ; NOTE TO EDITORS: Survey Results Are Available to the Media. To register for regular ISAPS Survey results at no cost contact Tony Staffieri at: tonystaf@sover.net