Paying to look perfect. (Health).

Gay men have always had a reputation for being preoccupied with improving their looks, but data from a July survey released by marketing and research firms Witeck-Combs Communications and Harris Interactive suggest that more of them are taking their grooming to a new, high-tech level. A national consumer survey conducted via the Web between June 20 and 26 indicated gays were twice as likely as straight people to have undergone laser vision-correction surgery and seven times more likely than heterosexuals to have had permanent laser hair removal.

Wesley Combs, president of Witeck-Combs, says part of the reason for the disparity may be that gays are significantly less likely to have child-rearing expenses and tend to have more discretionary income than straight consumers. That extra money is key--laser hair removal carries a price tag of $300 and up for a single session, and laser vision-correction surgery can cost $1,500 to $2,000 per eye.