Couples are encouraging each other to have cosmetic surgery to improve their looks, say British cosmetic surgeons, as demand for their services continues to rise. One in four patients at the Harley Medical Group, which runs a chain of cosmetic surgery clinics, said their partner had also gone under the knife. In the last six months liposuction demand is up 25%; nose jobs are up 20%; and facelifts are up 11%.

Several reasons are being offered to explain the trend. It’s the physical and psychological benefits, says the Harley Medical Group. It’s “social matching theory”, says psychologist Linda Papadopoulos. People “search out somebody who has similar characteristics to their own, so you can imagine this theory being played out to extremes with plastic surgery”. It’s also the glamour of celebrity couples like Posh and Becks and Madonna and Guy. “If you are beautiful that is good, but you could be much happier if your partner is beautiful too,” Ms Papadopoulos suggests.

And psychologist Dr Karen Liao says it’s money to burn. “Plastic surgery is an extension of how people spend money to improve their appearance. In the past, they may have changed their hairstyle or clothes; now they are having plastic surgery.”