THE LEFT LANE
Nip and tuck beauty

More and more, beauty is in the hands of the plastic surgeon. According to 2001 statistics released by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of trips to plastic surgeons is increasing faster than you can say "crow's-feet." Nearly 8.5 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in 2001, a 304 percent increase since 1997.

The five favorite surgical procedures? Liposuction, eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, nose reshaping and face-lifts. When it comes to nonsurgical procedures, Botox injections are the hottest craze, increasing more than 2,000 percent. Other top picks for becoming the fairest of them all are chemical peels, collagen injections, microdermabrasion and laser hair removal.

UH's Costume Gallery features an exhibit of East Asia garments garnished with gold.

It's all about gold in the new exhibit at the University of Hawai'i's Costume Gallery. Surface designs featuring gold thread, gold leaf and gold paint adorn a collection of garments from East Asia. The opulent robes focus on floral motifs and offer a glimpse into a lifestyle long departed. The exhibit will be open through April 19 in Miller Hall, Room 112, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. weekdays and noon-4 p.m. Sundays. The exhibit is an ongoing project of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.