London: British cosmetic surgeons are to be trained to treat patients who have become addicted to surgery.

In the UK the number of procedures is spiralling with a 35% increase last year, including 5,646 breast augmentations. Altogether there were 222,041 surgical opertions carried out.

But there are fears, even by the surgeons themselves, that women and to a lesser degree men are undergoing unnecessary operations because of a psycological disorder known as body dysmorphic disorder. This is when people imagine they are ugly.

Adam Searle, the president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), says these people will never be happy with how they look but get a temporary buzz from surgery.

Patients using Botox injections and other aesthetics for wrinkles may also be suffering from this condition. Botox is the fastest growing procedure in the UK.

The popularity of TV shows on cosmetic surgery and celebrities admitting to surgery is fuelling the demand, say experts.