Reem is in her early twenties; she has large eyes. Hers is what developmental biologists call a neotenous face. A narrow chin, small nose and wide-set eyes, all crowned by a broad forehead; juvenile features retained into adulthood - the classic babyface. Reem doesn't dislike her face, but she still wants to improve it. Reem is not alone in her desire for appearance enhancement. Increasingly, young women in the Arabian Gulf region are electing to undergo surgical cosmetic procedures.
A recent study undertaken in Saudi Arabia, published in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, reported that around 2.2 per cent of the participants, Saudi college women, had undergone cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, 11 per cent were considering such surgery, while 12 per cent reported having a family member who had already performed at least one cosmetic surgery. Among the 596 Saudi college women who participated in this study, the average age was just 20. And while this study only focused on women, there is anecdotal evidence that cosmetic procedures are gaining popularity among the Gulf's young men too.
The idea of cosmetic surgery often splits opinion, and the Saudi study was no exception. Two-thirds of participants, were unsupportive of people undergoing elective cosmetic surgery, while one-third endorsed the idea that people have the right to enhance their appearance surgically if they so choose. In the Gulf context, those who are pro cosmetic surgery, typically fly the flag of personal choice, while those against the idea might reference the Qur'anic verse concerning "…changing the creation of Allah" (Quran 4:19).
In 2008 the journal, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, published a review of Islamic legal perspectives on surgical cosmetic interventions. The article's authors concluded that the prohibitive position is not absolute and that there is some ambiguity related to arguments about cosmetic surgery promoting quality of life. To support their position, some advocates of cosmetic surgery even go as far as citing the widely known prophetic tradition: "Allah is beauty and loves that which is beautiful".
Leaving aside the prickly debates about right and wrong, pro and con, another important question to ask is, why? What would motivate a perfectly healthy, relatively attractive, young woman or man to opt for cosmetic surgery? When I ask such a question in my psychology classes the top answer is always "the media". In recent years, however, the answer has increasingly become, "social media".
The Saudi study explored this question of motivation and influence, finding that 50 percent of those participants who had undergone surgery, attributed their decision to social media.
Once, only celebrities were airbrushed to perfection, now even the "nobody" from next-door can compete for the title of most liked face on the internet.
As sophisticated as humans are, we are also mimetic. Sometimes, if we see enough people doing something, we feel almost compelled to follow suit. Increasingly, social media is where we find out what other people are doing.
Social media also encourages social comparison, and comparison encourages competition. Cosmetic surgery is to physical appearance as performance enhancing drugs are to athletics, easy to ignore as long as all the other competitors leave it alone.
Beyond Social media, another reason given for undergoing cosmetic surgery is pressure from a spouse. In the Saudi study, 11 per cent of participants said they would consider surgery if their husband requested it. There is also the possibility that other family members might pressure young people into appearance enhancing interventions. It's not hard to imagine a mother, keen to see her daughter married, suggesting procedures she feels will improve her offspring's marital prospects.
The popularity of cosmetic surgery is an aspect of social change that seems likely to increase in coming decades. The relationship between cosmetic surgery and psychiatric conditions, such as body dysmorphic disorder, depression and anxiety, is well documented. Other psychological and social consequences associated with our changing attitudes towards cosmetic surgery are also likely to emerge. Our increasing pursuit of appearance enhancement via surgery is an aspect of social change that requires careful monitoring, regulation and further research.
HAJJAN
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Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Company%20Profile
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World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:
Al Ain 2 Al Duhail 4
Second leg:
Tuesday, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha. Kick off 7.30pm
