Despite the bad rap that it’s getting when some celebrities overdo it, Botox remains incredibly popular. Not only that, but it’s actually an industry that is growing at a very fast pace, with a recent survey by Mintel showing a 15 percent increase in the number of women asking for it for the first time in this past year alone, the Daily Mail says.

While many women have come to consider getting Botox injected into their face to paralyze muscles and smooth away wrinkles a part of their daily beauty routine, even more would get it too if they could afford it, the findings of the survey also indicate. Moreover, most of the men and women queried would actually have invasive plastic surgery to correct or enhance something about themselves if they had the money to do it.

“The number of women resorting to Botox, lip-plumping and similar treatments in an attempt to stay young has jumped by 15 per cent in a year. More than one million treatments are now being carried out each year for the first time, confirming a desire to copy the beauty secrets of the rich and famous. There are well known concerns that Botox injections into the face produce a number of undesired effects, not least creating a mask-like expression devoid of normal movement and expression,” the Mail says.

“Research by retail analysts Mintel suggests as many as 19million people – men as well as women – would have some form of cosmetic enhancement if they could afford it. Botox and its ability to freeze facial muscles, so smoothing away wrinkles, is by far the biggest element of the non-surgical cosmetic treatments offered. The market is worth £18million a year in the UK. There is also an enormous trade in the fillers used to plump up the lips despite some well-publicized mistakes,” the publication further says.

While the non-surgical sector is flourishing, so is the surgical one, Mintel also says. Since 2008, the latter has seen a boost of 9 percent, with breast enlargement remaining the most popular intervention. It is followed by eyebag removal, facelift and neck lift, tummy tuck, liposuction and nose jobs. Overall, both contributed to a boost of 17 percent in the beauty industry, which has now reached an estimated £2.3 billion in the UK alone.

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