Sarah Burge (born 1960) is a British cosmetic surgery proponent known for the hundreds of cosmetic surgeries she has undergone as well as gifting of vouchers for cosmetic surgeries to her young daughter. Burge has been called the "bionic woman" and has undergone $3,000,000 worth of cosmetics surgeries over 20 years.
Early life
Born Sarah Goddard, she first had cosmetic surgery at the age of seven to correct overly prominent ears.
In her 20s, she had
liposuction
Liposuction, or simply lipo, is a type of fat-removal procedure used in plastic surgery. Evidence does not support an effect on weight beyond a couple of months and does not appear to affect obesity-related problems. In the United States, lipo ...
to sharpen her jawline. However, she traces her addiction to surgery to an attack by her then-boyfriend that left her disfigured for six years.
Experiencing
disfigurement
Disfigurement is the state of having one's appearance deeply and persistently harmed medically, such as from a disease, birth defect, or wound. General societal attitudes towards disfigurement have varied greatly across cultures and over time, ...
and the effects of corrective surgery made her an advocate for cosmetic surgery. She trained as a nurse and then opened a cosmetic surgery consultation service on
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in Marylebone, Central London, which has, since the 19th century housed a large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery. It was named after Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.< ...
.
Burge has undergone hundreds of procedures since. She says, "When I lost my face I didn't feel good on the inside. I was miserable. As for being an addict I'm the first one to admit it's true. I'm addicted to looking good. What's wrong with that?".
Fraud conviction
In the mid-2000s, Burge made headlines in the UK when she was convicted of fraud after making false statements to the UK Government to receive government support. At the time she was running a beauty treatment clinic in
St. Neots, Cambridgeshire. Under her maiden name of Sarah Goddard she admitted illegally claiming almost £2,000 housing and Council Tax benefits. Burge admitted that she used the money to pay for buttock enhancement surgery because she wanted "a bottom like
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
". Anthony Burge, now her husband, admitted in court aiding her in the fraud.
Cosmetics vouchers for daughter
In 2010, Burge made more headlines when she taught her then six-year-old daughter, Poppy, to
pole dance
Pole dance combines dance and acrobatics centered on a vertical pole. This performance art form takes place not only in gentleman's clubs as erotic dance, but also as a mainstream form of fitness, practiced in gyms and dedicated dance studi ...
. In 2011, she gave Poppy a £6,000 voucher for
breast enhancement for the child's 7th birthday. The gift topped off a £12,000 'exotic
pamper party A pamper party, or pampering party, is a female-oriented party in which the guests receives beauty and massage treatments and generally spend time to indulge and pamper themselves.
Pamper parties are usually held in the hostess's home, but they are ...
' to celebrate the child's birthday. That Christmas, Poppy received a £7,000 voucher for liposuction.
In 2012, Poppy received an additional £8,000 in vouchers for additional cosmetic surgery procedures along with a lavish party costing £25,000. Burge points out that each of the vouchers may not be redeemed until Poppy turns 18.
Criticisms
Critics of Burge label her numerous surgeries a need for publicity or even an addiction and worry that this behaviour could be passed on to her young daughter and cause permanent damage.
[ Burge appeared on '']Anderson
Anderson or Andersson may refer to:
Companies
* Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910
* Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car
* Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer
* Anderson ...
'' on 22 May 2012, hosted by Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper (born June 3, 1967) is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator from the Vanderbilt family. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news broadcast show '' Anderson Cooper 360°''. In addition to his duties a ...
. Burge walked out after Cooper told her, "I try to be really polite to all my guests. I think you're dreadful and I honestly don't want to talk to you anymore." Cooper stated later that he felt she was only seeking publicity. Burge responded by accusing him of the same thing: "I went on the Anderson Cooper show after being offered a chance to talk about plastic surgery, my controversial views, my book and domestic violence; instead he attacked me in what I can only assume was a bid for international glory. I can take a beating but he did it in front of my 8-year-old daughter Poppy and he should be ashamed. He has a duty of care to minors."British Human Barbie demands Anderson Cooper apologise
/ref>
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burge, Sarah
Cosmetic surgery in the United Kingdom
1960 births
Living people