BEIJING, Sept 25, 2007 (AFP) - Chinese women, who are having cosmetic surgery in ever larger numbers, are especially keen to get faces shaped like "goose eggs," state media said Tuesday, september 25th.

Chinese models at a hair and cosmetics fashion show in Beijing Photo : AFP

Thirty-three percent of Chinese women who go under the knife do it to improve the contours of their faces, and among these, a large number are going for the "egg look," the China Daily reported, citing a recent survey.

An oval face similar in shape to that of a goose egg has long been considered attractive in Chinese society.

Surgery that supposedly makes eyes look more Western was a close second, favoured by 29 percent, the paper said, citing a poll conducted by Horizon Research Consultancy Group of 1,600 people aged 18 to 55.

Overall, the Caucasian look is extremely popular among Chinese women, characterised by the paper as "leggy, busty and skinny."

Many women also want breast implants to please their boyfriends and husbands, although the survey suggested their partners actually do not like it, according to the paper.

Cosmetic surgery is immensely popular in China with about one million operations carried out every year, the paper said.