Saudi women suffer low self esteem

A whopping 90 percent of Saudi women are not satisfied with their appearance, according to a study conducted by a health intelligence office in the kingdom's eastern region. Nahida al-Zuhair, general manager of the office, said the low self esteem was responsible for the rise in beauty clinics, like the 400 clinics in the western city of Jeddah alone. The study revealed Saudi women are increasingly opting for plastic surgeries whose numbers are estimated to be at 40 percent between the age groups 28 and 37, 25 percent for the age group of 37-50. About 37 percent of girls between the age of 15 to 17 admitted to wanting to undergo plastic surgeries, according to the survey. Only 17 percent of the women polled said they did not want plastic surgeries. Zuhair said that materials used for cosmetic procedures can cause allergies, headaches, sores and other skin disorders. She warned women interested in getting skin lightening procedures that 45 percent of the products that are used for such procedures contains poisonous mercury.