Dubliners top league for breast implants -- but Kerry goes large

MEN, too, are opting for more cosmetic surgery, looking for Botox, facial fillers and hair implants.

The number of breast implants has fallen by about 5pc following the PIP implants scandal but one provider of corrective surgery still carried out more than 1,000 operations last year.

The price has dropped too by about 40pc from an average of €6,000 in 2008 to just €3,995 today.

"Contrary to popular belief, cosmetic surgery is not the domain of the wealthy," said Aisling Holly, manager of The Hospital Group's Irish division.

"Indeed, most of our breast-implant surgeries are from working class areas."

Dublin 1 had the highest demand for implants but women from Kerry were most likely to look for DD size implants compared to the more normal D-cup size.

There has also been an increasing demand for "yummy-tummy" combinations -- a series of procedures where mothers in their 30s undergo a tummy and breast lift along with other augmentations to "tidy up" their figures after giving birth.

Breast lifts are also being sought instead of the more invasive implant operations.

"Women are still spending money on cosmetic surgery but they're opting for less invasive and more subtle procedures," said Ms Holly.

She added that there was also an increasing demand from men for cosmetic procedures.

"We're finding more older men who are emerging perhaps from failed marriages and finding themselves single. They go for Botox, facial fillers, cosmetic dental treatment and hair implants."

The company carried out an average of 88 cosmetic procedures a month last year with a total of 1,056 for the year and made a profit of €500,000.