TV shows such as US import 'Nip/Tuck', MTV's 'I Want a Famous Face', Living TV's 'Extreme Makeover' and Five's 'Plastic Surgery Live' were slammed by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons for encouraging people to have surgery for the wrong reasons.
BAAPS's main target was plastic surgery companies, including Bupa and Transform Medical Group. It worried that some companies were more concerned with commercial ends than medical ethics.
Adam Searle, president of BAAPS, said: "The trivialisation of medical procedures is appallling."
Transform Medical Group was criticised for using loyalty cards and gift vouchers to stoke demand for surgery.
It was involved in 'Extreme Makeover' and has also linked with Emap's Top Sante magazine to run a competition to win a makeover.
Top Sante's editor Lauren Libbert denied that the magazine, published by Emap, was sensationalising plastic surgery.
A spokeswomen for Transform said: "We are proud of the reputation we have built up over our 30 years. Any patient goes through our strict clinical protocols and consultation process."
Bupa was criticised by the plastic surgeons body for paying commission to sales reps. A Bupa spokeswoman said: "We deny that we would ever attach sales incentives to any medical procedure."
Zoo magazine, also published by Emap, has run a competition for readers to win a £4,000 boob job for their girlfriend. An Emap spokesman said that the winner could have chosen to take the cash instead, and added that having a boob job is a lifestyle choice made by thousands of women each year.
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