Model has received injections since she was 22

Sun Meisi had her first cosmetic chin injection in 2009 while modeling for a Beijingbased fashion magazine. She was 22, and that procedure, which lasted less than 10 minutes, made her chin look more prominent.

Over the following week, she heeded the surgeon’s advice and was extremely careful to avoid twisting, pinching or allowing someone to punch her chin, which had been injected with hyaluronic acid, a widely used chemical injected to shape the face and fill the wrinkles in micro cosmetic surgeries.

“Otherwise the jellylike material might bring you an awkward chin,” she said. “I felt at first like a lab mouse for beauty but it’s worth a try. My confidence was up afterward.”

Working in the competitive modeling business, Sun said the instant effect was irresistible for her back then. She then set on a journey of micro plastic surgery, which she said would be lifelong.

To date, she has had dozens of procedures, mostly injections, to have pointed facial features, a straight nose and brighter skin. To remain effective, the injections need to be renewed from time to time. A single shot costs at least 2,000 yuan ($300).

“It’s become something common today, like hair styling, and you can shop for varied procedures as your taste of beauty evolves,” she said.

She got Botox injections to make her face more pointed and small five years ago when she was fascinated with a “V-shaped tiny” face.

As she aged a bit, she shifted to regular injections of hyaluronic acid for a more natural and fuller face. “It’s also a treatment for wrinkles.”

But Sun warned beauty pursuers against irrational demands and practices. Generally safe, it does carries risks.

“I used to lose my smile for nearly a whole month after an injection,” she said. “It’s still an invasive medical procedure.”

In fact, it’s a camera thing as a slight change in her face made a huge difference. But for ordinary people, it’s not necessary, she said.

To pursue beauty is fine but “that makes no sense attaching too much importance to cosmetic procedures”, she kept reminding people on her Sina Weibo site, where she has around 500,000 fans.

“I used to see middle-aged women going under the needle to save their marriages. That’s impossible,” she said.

“Some rich businessmen came up with the idea that a fatter nose would bring more wealth.”