More than 20 women have signed up for what is likely to be the world's first pageant for plastic-surgery beauties, to be held in China in November, state media reported.

Would-be participants hail not just from China, but also from South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, the Beijing Morning Post said, citing organizer Beijing Tianjiu Weiye Culture and Media Co.

To ensure that no one is cheating, all contestants will have to present certification from their doctors proving that they have indeed gone under the knife, the paper said.

But at the same time, perhaps in an effort to prevent bungled rush jobs, the organizer also requires that all participating "man-made beauties" had their last surgery no later than May 29, according to the paper.

Among the 20 or so women who have sought to enter the contest so far, the record for most extensive surgery goes to a resident of northern Hebei province, who was operated on 13 times to achieve the looks of her dreams.

Earlier this week, another artificial beauty, 18-year-old Yang Yuan, was told by a Beijing court she was not entitled to compensation for emotional damage after being kicked out of the Miss Intercontinental Contest for having had surgery.

Source: agencies