Singles try makeovers before dating

London: An "elite" dating site catering to "beautiful people," which accepts only the most attractive applicants, is driving rejected ones to undergo drastic makeovers so that they make the cut.

Dating website BeautifulPeople.com has rejected more than seven million people since 2003 because they weren't good-looking enough, but one in four rejected applicants are going under the knife, toning up at the gym or having extreme makeover to try and beautify themselves to gain access, the Daily Express reported.

Managing director Greg Hodge said that because there are no limits to the number of times a rejected applicant can attempt to re-apply, it is not unusual for them to see three, four or sometimes more than 20 attempts to get through their very stringent voting-in process.

Hodge, who believes that everyone can become beautiful if they put their mind to it, added that some of the best looking celebrities in Hollywood like Demi Moore, Nicole Kidman and Ryan Seacrest weren't born beautiful, but now they are an inspiration to unattractive people around the world.

Many feel the dating website is heartless and superficial but Hodge disagrees by saying that they want to encourage people to make the best of themselves and get more excited about successful transformation stories than any other application.

Hodge continued that their members, who transform themselves, tell them how their rejection letter was the best thing that could have ever happened to them as their lives were positively enhanced.

He said that to join the site, which has more than 800,000 members worldwide, there is a 48-hour voting period where members of the opposite sex decide whether they are attractive enough to join.