From VOA Learning English, this is
the Health Report. How far would you go1
for a perfect body? Many people these days are going as far as2 SouthAfrica to get3 their version of perfection. People from
across4 Africa and the world come for so-called5“surgery safaris.” There are
no animals to see on these safaris.The visitors instead6 look for7 smaller stomachs,firmer bottoms8 or perhaps9 new eye, nose or chin
shapes10.
Businesses11 that provide12 medical safaris say they have
seen a large increase13 in African customers14.VOA’s
Gillian Parker spoke with several15 cosmetic surgeons16 inJohannesburg for her report.South Africa is becoming17 the leading country18 in Africa for people seeking19
cosmetic surgery20.
For years, South Africa has appealed21 to medical tourists from Europe and
the United States.
but local cosmetic surgeons say now more clients fromAfrica’s growing22 economies are interested in such operations23.
Lorraine Melvill is
a doctor with Surgeon
and Safari. She has been performing24
cosmetic surgeries for nearly25 16 years in Johannesburg.She says that more
than 80 percent of her clients now come from sub-Saharan Africa.
She says this is because Africa did not experience the economic problems that hit26 other
parts of the world.
“When the West started having its economic downturn27,
it was almost28 asymbiotic change and
the scales just tilted29. And
we know Africa wasn't as affected by the economic downturn. There is also30 a huge31 emerging32 African
middle class that has “come to the fore”33.
But for us, the growing market is the
sub-Saharan African market. Africa is where we
are looking to the future.”
Her clients are treated like movie stars34. Assistants take them from
the airport to a luxurious guesthouse35. They explain in detail the medical operation to
be done36. Doctors operate the next day.
And then clients have a week or two to enjoy37 a shopping safari for new clothes and handbags38 while their bodies heal
39.
Clients can spend anywhere from40
$5,000 to $7,000 on a cosmetic treatment.
They might spend an additional $2,000 on
the cost of the hotel while they heal.
For many African women, less is more. Ms. Melvill says the most popular
forms of cosmetic surgeries for African women are breast41 reductions and
liposuction42.
Liposuction removes fat43 from
the body. So-called tummy tucks44
are also common. This treatment removes fat from
a person’s middle. “A lot of Africans have a huge need for breast reduction.
And also in terms of the African market,
I would certainly say breast reductions, liposuctions and
tummy tucks would be their main45.”
South Korea is also a popular spot46 for cosmetic surgery.
But the leading treatments there are operations to create larger eyes, thinner noses47 and
pointy chins48.
A
2009 report from
the research company “Trend Monitor” said one in five
South Korean women has had49 plastic surgery.
But South Africa is catching up50.
“We
are seeing a massive influx51 of patients from sub-Saharan Africa.”
Dr. Chris Snijman is
the national secretary for
the Association of Plastic andReconstructive Surgeons of South Africa (APRSSA).
He says that there are several reasons52 for
the increase53 in cosmetic treatments in South Africa.These include a favorable
exchange rate54 and better and safer surgical
methods.
Mr. Snijman says there is also less of
a stigma attached to55 plastic surgery in
South Africa.
“Obviously they are becoming56 more socially aware57,
the social boundaries58 and
stigma attached to cosmetic surgery are now far less than58 they were before.”
And,
he says a growing number of people in sub-Saharan Africa have more
disposable income60 than in
the past. "... not to mention our own61 emerging upper middle class62 group of patients in
this country… and in addition63, they now have a disposable income.”
Dr. Julie Sinclair performs64 many non-surgical65 treatments every week.
She says most of her customers are women. But
she says this is slowly changing.
“Over the last few years a lot more male66 patients are coming. So in terms of
gender67, that has changed quite a lot68.
In terms of race perhaps, a lot of Asian,
Indian, Thai, Chinese as well as69 black patients are realizing that70 they can do
something about something that is bothering71 them.
And, I suppose, to some extent72, they are more able to do it
as the economical climate changes as well73.”
A lack of rules74 on
the cosmetic surgery industry has led to
a growing number of rogue75 surgeons. South Africa’s medical professionals say as
the industry continues to grow there must be76 stronger laws to govern it.
I’m Anna Matteo.
Vocabulary
1.
How far would you go
= O quão longe voce iria
2.
as far as = até, tão
longe quanto
3.
get =
conseguir
4.
across =
do outro lado
5.
so-called =
conhecido como
6.
instead = ao
inves disso
7.
look for =
procuram por
8.
bottoms =
traseiro, “bum-bum”
9.
perhaps =
talvez
10.
chin shapes =
formato do queixo
11.
Businesses =
empresas
12.
Provide =
fornecer
13.
large increase =
grande aumento
14.
customers =
clientes
15.
several =
diversos
16.
cosmetic surgeons =
cirurgiões plásticos
17.
becoming =
tornando-se
18.
leading country =
país lider
19.
seeking =
buscando
20.
cosmetic surgery = cirurgia
plastica
21.
has appealed =
tem atraido
22.
growing =
crescente
23.
such operations
= tais operações
24.
has
been performing = vem realizando
25.
nearly =
quase
26.
hit =
atingir
27.
downturn =
recessão
28.
almost =
quase
29.
scales just tilted
= balanças simplesmente inclinavam
30.
There is also =
há também
31.
huge =
imenso(a)
32.
emerging =
emergente
33. “come to the fore” = “vem à tona”
34.
treated like movie stars
= tratados como estrelas de cinema
35.
luxurious guesthouse = luxuosa casa de hóspedes
36.
to be done = a
ser feito(a)
37.
enjoy =
desfrutar. Curtir
38.
handbags =
bolsas de mão
39.
heal = curar
40.
spend anywhere from = gastar
algo em torno de
41.
breast =
seios
42.
liposuction = lipoaspiração
43.
fat =
gordura
44.
tummy tucks
= abdominoplastia
45.
main =
principal
46.
spot = ponto,
lugar
47.
thinner noses =
narizes mais finos
48.
pointy chins
= queixos pontudos
49.
has had =
(já) fizeram
50.
catching up
= alcançando
51.
influx =
afluxo
52.
several reasons =
várias razões
53.
increase =
aumento
54.
exchange rate = taxa de
câmbio
55.
attached to =
vinculado a
56.
becoming =
tornando-se
57.
aware =
consciente
58.
boundaries
= fronteiras
59.
far less than = muito menos do que
60.
disposable income = renda disponivel
61.
own =
próprio
62. upper middle class = classe media
alta
63. in addition = além disso
64. performs = realiza
65. non-surgical = não cirurgicos
66. male = do sexo masculine
67. gender = gênero sexual
68. quite a lot = um bocado
69. as well as = assim como
70. realizing that = percebendo que
71. bothering = incomodando
72.
to some extent = até certo ponto
73.
as well =
também
74.
lack of rules =
falta de regras
75.
rogue = vigaristas
76.
there must be =
deve haver 