Cosmetic surgery to 'change race' on the rise in Australia

The practice of de-racialization surgery is already common in places like Seoul, where one in five women have gone under the knife.

But the trend is spreading to Australia, as filmmaker Anna Choy discovered making her documentary, Change My Race.

In the documentary, cosmetic surgeon Dr Joo Kwon said a number of patients requested bone-contouring surgery.

"Angle re-section is cutting part of the bone, and spreading outer surface of the bone," he said.

"Baby-looking face is kind of a trend in Korea."

Ms Choy followed a number of people undergoing surgeries that appeared to fit the mould.

She said women around the world were constantly exposed to the Western ideal of beauty.

One such person was 16-year-old Kathy, a Vietnamese Australian who had procedures on her eyelids, nose and chin, at the request of her parents.

Double-eyelid surgery has become increasingly popular in Australia.

Beautician Thuy Phan had it done after her mother underwent the procedure, but denied that race influenced her decision.

"It's not like a major surgery where you've done your nose or reconstructed your face or anything," she said.

"It was an enhancement of their eyes. In my case it wasn't to look more Western or more white. I didn't change anything on myself to look different, I did it to look better. Or better in my eyes."

Emmanuel Tsigas