Deviated septum - two words you should learn to say with conviction if you're trying to explain away your new nose job. At least that seems to be the most cited reason in recent months for Hollywood celebrities sporting new noses.

According to a Dec 10 report from America's ABC News, besides actress Ashley Tisdale, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston and Ashlee Simpson 'all made headlines for stepping out with slightly altered noses... And like Tisdale, all three women say their new noses were a medical necessity, not a vanity'.

Dr Brent R. W. Moelleken, in an interview with gossip website E! Online, explains that a deviated septum 'may cause breathing reduction or obstruction', but estimates that about half of those in Hollywood claiming this medical condition probably got their nose jobs for cosmetic purposes.

Still, the likes of A-listers like Diaz and Aniston admitting to nose jobs is a far cry from the stony silences and flat-out denials more common in years past.

These days, when palpably altered celebrities such as Nicole Kidman say they are 'completely natural', their claims tend to invite a flood of comments from netizens ranging from sceptical to scathing.

Dr J. J. Chua, a plastic surgeon with a private practice at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, believes that 'there is no shadow of doubt' that people have become more open about having had work done.

'There's been a paradigm shift in the perception and acceptance of plastic surgery in recent years,' he says.

'These days, more people think of it as common, safe, effective and not a big deal. I always tell my patients, if someone asks, just say yes. Then there will be no more questions. The more you try to hide, the worse it will get.'

Plastic surgeon Woffles Wu at Camden Medical Centre attributes this change in attitude to the popularity of shows like Extreme Makeover.

'What I hear from public relations circles in the United States is that it is now considered better for stars to come clean rather than to constantly deny it.

'When people look at a picture and see tight skin where it used to be saggy and a different jaw from before, they know this doesn't happen because a celebrity used a herbal cream. Denial creates a negative image because people feel you are not being honest.'

Of course, to tell or not to tell is ultimately a personal prerogative. Still, it can be fun to hazard a guess about who has had work done.

Scarlett Johansson, 23	Nicole Kidman, 40	Fergie, 32
A recent issue of Us Weekly - the same one which speculated about Fergie (see facing page) - put this young It girl on the cover, speculating that she had had a nose job. The article included the star's previous quote on plastic surgery: 'I definitely believe in plastic surgery. I don't want to be an old hag. There's no fun in that.' Johansson is threatening to sue the magazine, telling OK! magazine: 'I have always been straightforward with the press regarding my body image and I am very concerned that my fans (and perhaps even my employers) will feel misled. Thus, I feel compelled to take immediate legal action against Us Weekly.'	Her taut, shiny forehead and plump lips have spurred talk about plastic surgery for years, with some gossip bloggers dubbing her the Botox Queen. But the Oscar winner told Marie Claire magazine in a recent interview: 'I have nothing in my face or anything. I wear sunscreen and I don't smoke. I take care of myself. And I'm very proud to say that.'	When Us Weekly suggested that the singer had had a nose job and an eyebrow lift in a recent issue, she said the claims were 'completely untrue'. 'It's hard, it hurts my feelings. I call my hypnotherapist and cry and let it go.' But days later, she showed a more open attitude towards plastic surgery, saying that 'I've not had surgery but I would consider a nip and a tuck. I would also be open to Botox'.
Jennifer Aniston, 38	Ashlee Simpson, 22	Cameron Diaz, 35
In February last year, Brad Pitt's ex admitted that she had had rhinoplasty. 'I had a deviated septum fixed - best thing I ever did. I slept like a baby for the first time in years,' she told People magazine. But it seems that this former Friend is still not quite happy with her nose. Recent pictures published on sites like x17online.com last month show her covering her lips and nose, prompting speculation that she has had recent surgery.	In the July 2006 issue of Marie Claire, this pop star said she had 'had it with Hollywood's twisted view of feminine beauty'. Then, she went and had a nose job, incensing the editor and readers of that magazine with what they perceived as blatant hypocrisy. Simpson later variously attributed her surgery to breathing problems and 'a personal choice'.	In 2005, this actress was quoted as saying that plastic surgery was 'sick': 'When I see people who've had plastic surgery, it's so unnerving. All I can see is the surgery; the person's vanished beneath it.' In 2006, however, she told W magazine: 'I'm getting my nose fixed. I can't take it. I cannot breathe at all. One side of my nose is totally shattered (from surfing accidents) and my septum is basically like a train derailed.'

PHOTOS: AP, FILE, WWW.IMDB.COM, THE NEW PAPER, REUTERS

WHODUNNIT?

Don't want to take potentially plastic people at their word?

Dr Martin Huang, executive director of The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Paragon, offers some tips on how to spot tell-tale signs of plastic surgery. Of course, you may still get it wrong.

After all, as he puts it, 'the better the job, the harder it is to detect. Plastic surgeons always try to achieve the most natural and beautiful results'.

FACELIFT OR BOTOX?

When a facelift is done in a not very natural way, the face looks tight and stiff, with a lack of expression, as if the skin has been pulled horizontally.

There may also be tell-tale scars in front of the ears and around the ear lobes, which may even look distorted.

Sometimes you can't tell the difference between a facelift and Botox injections because the latter can result in stiffness and a lack of facial expression as well.

But as a general rule, if a facelift is overdone and unnatural, it affects the middle and lower sections of the face. Botox tends to affect the eyebrow and forehead areas: eyebrows are raised all the time and eyes have a wide-open, staring look. This could also be the result of an overly aggressive brow lift.

NOSE JOBS

Asians sometimes get nasal implants to make the bridges of their noses higher. If the implants are too big or too high, the result can look exaggerated and unnatural. Deviated septums (a displacement of the cartilage in the nose that separates the nasal cavity into the two nostrils) are less common for Asians.

DOUBLE EYELIDS

This procedure is very popular with Asians, who tend to have single eyelids. When not done well, the double eyelids appear too high and too deep. Scars may also be visible when the eyes are closed. But if done well, it is impossible to pick up.

LIP FILLERS

Lips look exaggerated and unnatural, appearing too big and too full. If injected in the wrong place, particularly in the upper lip, the fillers can also create an unnatural pout.

BREAST IMPLANTS

Very large and round-shaped breast implants (as opposed to teardrop-shaped breast implants) that are placed high will cause the upper half of the breasts to look very full and stiff.