Cosmetic Surgery in the New Year is becoming increasingly popular it would seem.

While the start of a new year is a time to reflect on changes we would like to make in our live but the Birkdale Clinic has revealed that more and more of us are taking the easy way out and opting for surgery to change the parts of their body that make them self conscious.

Most of us make promises to lose weight, stop drinking and to start using that anti wrinkle cream - only to be forgotten in a few weeks. The number of cosmetic consultations booked for January and February 2009 with the Birkdale Clinic has risen by 32% compared to last year.

And it’s not just weight and shape-related treatments that new patients are opting for, as the number of consultations for facial and dentistry treatments has increased by 19%.

"We are amazed by the year on year increase in consultations at our clinics," says Marie Jenkins, patient coordinator at Birkdale, "and most say that they are more inclined to have treatments done now as a way of boosting their own ‘feel good factor’ after the Christmas hype is over."

"We always warn potential new patients against jeopardizing their health in the rush to look fabulous. To us health and beauty should always go hand in hand."