Brits visit L.A. for nips and tucks, not Disneyland

Did mummy hug Mickey Mouse? Um, no. Did mummy see the Hollywood sign? Fraid not, love. Then, what was mummy doing in Los Angeles, anyway?

Well, according to one plastic surgery clinic, the Brits are coming to get face-lifts and nose jobs and hair transplants. The waning dollar and mighty euro have made the price of a Beverly Hills chin tuck more affordable.

"We have seen an influx of patients from the U.K. taking 'vacations' to Beverly Hills and coming to our office for surgery so they can have Beverly Hills doctors work on them for a lesser price because, in comparison to the dollar, the pound is booming right now," says Dr. Toby Mayer, co-director of the Beverly Hills Institute with Dr. Richard Fleming. "U.K. patients are coming to see us for multiple facial procedures, fillers and hair replacement surgery. They are taking full advantage of our weakening economy for their own cosmetic benefit."

Of course, these doctors are promoting themselves, along with their premise. Still, it makes sense that Europeans would visit the cosmetic surgery capital of America to get the Hollywood makeover. The WSJ reports that New York, California and Florida are the top destinations for Europeans seeking "work done." A July 8 article reports:

U.S. hospitals and prominent plastic surgeons have begun to tailor marketing campaigns targeted at Europeans, touting both their medical expertise as well as lower cost. Some U.S. plastic surgeons are promoting themselves through in-flight magazines read by international travelers. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in Manhattan, one of the U.S.'s oldest specialty hospitals, is preparing to launch a marketing campaign in London. The initiative is "capitalizing on the value of the dollar" as well as a recognition that New York is "very much a destination," says Allan Fine, a hospital vice president.

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