Work in progress, feedback welcome.
Note: All surgical and non-surgical treatments for cosmetic purposes are currently subject to the standard rate for VAT, which was implemented in 2007. This reflects the lack of a ‘home’ for cosmetic surgery and non-surgical procedures in general, and doesn’t reflect the data of each procedure. It is hard to know if there is a perverse incentive to classify VAT rated procedures as part of a health care treatment plan in order to avoid this cost.
| Motivating factor | Desired outcome | Examples and notes |
| Ageism | To avoid prejudice | Treatments aiming to stretch out or even cut away the skin. |
| Sexism | To avoid prejudice | Treatments undertaken mainly by women. Treatments to lessen normal hair loss for men. |
| Racism | To avoid prejudice | Removing ethnic characteristics of facial features (nose and eyes in particular). Skin lightening to pass as a lighter skinned member of a racial group, or to adhere to dominant media beauty ideals. |
| Other societal attitudes towards body image | To avoid prejudice | Body contouring procedures. |
| Perceived increase in social status | To receive admiration or fit in with peers | Augmentation or reduction of facial and body features. |
| Lessen a body change induced by injury or a life event | For personal choice | Panniculectomy. Scar treatments. Vascular treatments. Removal of benign growths. Tends to have the most well informed patients and the least problematic procedures. Results tend not to be visible to observers. |
Bibliography
Solvi, Anette S et al. Motivational factors and psychological processes in cosmetic breast augmentation surgery. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.01.024
Walker, C.E., Krumhuber, E.G., Dayan, S. et al. Effects of social media use on desire for cosmetic surgery among young women. doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00282-1
Shakespeare, T. A Point of View: Does cosmetic surgery really make people feel better about their bodies? www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35380469
Nuffield Council on Bioethics. www.nuffieldbioethics.org/publications/cosmetic-procedures