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City bankers are celebrating the return of big bonuses by lavishing thousands of pounds on post-credit crunch "refurbishment" of stress ravaged faces and bodies.
London clinics favoured by well paid financial workers say they have seen a spike in appointments as job security and bonus hopes have grown.
Many people delayed procedures to make themselves look younger or fitter during the downturn because they feared redundancy. Now they want to repair the damage wreaked on waistlines and faces during an even more anxious year than usual.
One of the biggest increases in enquiries has been for "tummy tucks", a procedure that costs at least £5,295.
There was a 68 per cent rise last month compared with last year, according to The Harley Medical Group, which has a clinic near banks such as Credit Suisse, Deutsche and JP Morgan.
Demand for "man boob" reductions, costing at least £4,000, is up and bookings for popular non-surgical procedures among women such as Botox injections are up by 20 per cent. As a whole enquiries are up by 24 per cent.
Liz Dale, director of the group, said: "We noticed it at the beginning of September. In the City it had been quiet for at least six months. Now we've got people coming in again saying 'make me look healthy and well'. They feel it's good for their careers and their confidence."
Amanda Graham, who works for a City insurance firm, said: "I have had Botox for five years, usually three times a year. I haven't had a treatment for over a year as I was tightening my purse strings. But I feel more confident that my job is safe so I booked in for Botox last week. It was long overdue and I look and feel great."
Despite outrage over City bonuses, payouts are expected to be well up on last year's £3.6billion and shared among fewer workers, with major banks making bumper profits since financial markets stabilised in the spring.
