Mideast men go under knife for manly mustaches

By Tim Hume, for CNN

Updated 1715 GMT (0115 HKT) November 29, 2012

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Members of Iraq's parliament vote in 2002. Luxurious mustaches became ubiquitous during Saddam Hussein's rule, but have been seen as a symbol of high social status since Ottoman times.
Photos: Mustaches and meaning in the Middle East
What mustaches mean in Middle East – Members of Iraq's parliament vote in 2002. Luxurious mustaches became ubiquitous during Saddam Hussein's rule, but have been seen as a symbol of high social status since Ottoman times.
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Ibrahim Tatlises, a popular Turkish singer and actor of Kurdish and Arab descent, has the type of moustache sought by Middle Eastern men seeking transplants. Men from the region are fuelling a boom in mustache transplants as they seek a more virile appearance through their facial hair.
Photos: Mustaches and meaning in the Middle East
What mustaches mean in Middle East – Ibrahim Tatlises, a popular Turkish singer and actor of Kurdish and Arab descent, has the type of moustache sought by Middle Eastern men seeking transplants. Men from the region are fuelling a boom in mustache transplants as they seek a more virile appearance through their facial hair.
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Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In Turkey, mustaches can carry political nuance, with different styles implying a nationalist, religious conservative or left-wing inclination.
Photos: Mustaches and meaning in the Middle East
What mustaches mean in Middle East – Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In Turkey, mustaches can carry political nuance, with different styles implying a nationalist, religious conservative or left-wing inclination.
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Like many prominent Arab leaders, former Egyptian President Gamal Nasser had a handsome mustache. One commentator says that in Middle Eastern culture mustaches suggest wisdom in the wearer.
Photos: Mustaches and meaning in the Middle East
What mustaches mean in Middle East – Like many prominent Arab leaders, former Egyptian President Gamal Nasser had a handsome mustache. One commentator says that in Middle Eastern culture mustaches suggest wisdom in the wearer.
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