Striking Beauty, Zero Body Fat, Killer Cheekbones

The author describes Ms. Wen as "blessed with striking beauty, zero body fat and killer cheekbones." On tap: ad campaigns for Calvin Klein and Gap.

Ms. Wen's career in modeling "has paralleled the forward thrust of the Chinese economy - unstoppable."

As China has grown into a lucrative luxury market, the West's overall perception of East Asia has grown far more favorable.

So what are prominent cheekbones doing on the face of a supermodel?

Don't worry -- that's not the least of it. While stunningly beautiful, Ms. Wen also sports fully single eyelids and even the pouting lips that are a feature of what has been termed a protruding mouth, both common Asian facial traits that many now see as a clear call for cosmetic surgery.

As we noted in our Asian Plastic Surgery Predictions for 2011 (prediction #9), a backlash against surgical Westernization seems to be taking hold. While far from a mass phenomenon, consider the effect of millions of Asian women watching more and more of the likes of Ms. Wen being featured and adored by the global and especially Western fashion media for their "striking beauty."

Is it possible that their ideals of physical elegance and allure may begin a realignment away from the over-operated K-pop alphabet and back towards anatomical attributes more native to the East?

Really, it's harder for us to imagine otherwise. What about you?

Happening Now...

• Cosmetic surgery medical tourism complications
• Asian cosmetic surgery and body dysmorphic disorder
• Eyelid surgery hurts more in Asian men
• North Korean waitresses must have eyelid surgery
• Japanese glassless glasses
• Chinese westernization not always deliberate
• C-sections and the Chinese figure
• An Asian diet pill unlike any other
• Japanese skin secret: Female face shaving
• Free plastic surgery in China
• Body Factory: Same-face syndrome
• World-class plastic surgery in Southeast Asia?
• Barbie exits Shanghai