China's Golden Week national holiday is proving to be a boon for plastic surgeons, since it allows people the time needed to put themselves under the knife.

Surgery clinics in Shanghai have reported a 25 per cent increase in business during week-long celebrations marking the country's autumn harvest.  

The week is an ideal time for cosmetic surgery since it takes several days for initial swelling to heal, said Dr. Shu Li Ping, a 50-year-old plastic surgeon.

About 90 per cent of customers are women. Most are seeking ways to reduce wrinkles and change the shape of their eyes.

Some Chinese women want their eyes less slanted, bigger and rounder to feel more beautiful, Shu said.

Nose jobs, breast enhancement and liposuction are also gaining in popularity.

The trend isn't unique to Shanghai. As more Chinese see their standard of living increase, more can afford to pay for the operations, and Shu said she likes to help.

The surgeries mean thousands of Chinese women are now in stitches and wearing bandages until the end of the holiday, when their new faces will be revealed.