The death of an aspiring Chinese pop singer during plastic surgery has cast an ugly light on an obsession with beauty that sees millions go under the knife in China each year.

Wang Bei, 24, a former contestant on China's answer to American Idol, died on November 15 during facial bone-grinding surgery in the central city of Wuhan, Chinese media reported.

That Wang even felt she needed to improve her looks has underlined the extent to which cosmetic surgery has taken hold.

Her beauty had made her a popular contestant on the smash television hit Super Girl.

Her death has fuelled concerns about the dangers of plastic surgery in a country where three million people have operations each year to improve their appearances, according to state media.

An "anaesthetic accident" occurred during Wang's procedure at the Zhong Ao Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, according to Xinhua news agency, citing the local health bureau.

Wang's jaw suddenly started bleeding during the procedure, blocking her windpipe and causing her to suffocate, reports said.

Her mother was having the same procedure at the clinic when her daughter died.

Surging demand for cosmetic surgery has led to untrained doctors carrying out operations, "which is risky and irresponsible", Zhang Huabin, a professor of plastic surgery at southern China's Guangdong Medical College, told Xinhua.

Web users also have vented concern and questioned why a pretty girl like Wang would feel the need for plastic surgery.

"I hope the tragedy can raise people's awareness of the slack supervision of the plastic surgery industry," one user said.

Wang "paid a painful price for beauty", said an entry on popular internet portal sina.com.

Another web user asked why Wang wanted cosmetic surgery when she was already "so beautiful".

"It is not possible to be famous only based on one's face," the posting said.

- AFP