Cosmetic Treatments Drop Two Percent During 2009 Recession

At about this time every spring, groups of surgeons like the ASAPS provide statistics on cosmetic procedures that were popular in the previous year. The news always gives us an opportunity to discuss nationwide trends in plastic surgery.

Due to the economic recession, statistics for 2009 show a 2 percent overall decrease in cosmetic treatments compared to 2008. Of the nearly 10 million cosmetic procedures performed in the United States, non-invasive procedures like Botox and Juvederm increased slightly while a moderate (17 percent) decrease was seen in surgical procedures such as liposuction, abdominoplasty or breast augmentation.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the top cosmetic treatments in America are as follows:

1. Breast augmentation
2. Liposuction
3. Eyelid Surgery
4. Abdominoplasty
5. Facelift

Non-Surgical
1. Botox/Dysport
2. Hyaluronic acid wrinkle fillers
3. Laser hair removal
4. Microdermabrasion
5. Chemical Peel

Why has Breast Augmentation been the number one procedure for two years straight?

In 2008, breast augmentation surpassed liposuction as the number on cosmetic surgery in the United States. In 2009, the procedure remained on top with over 311,957 estimated procedures. Several different opinions have been offered explaining why this procedure has gained such popularity. We asked Dr. Genter and he cited these reasons:

• Excitement over new silicone implants
• Relatively quick recovery from the procedure
• Immediate obvious results = immediate gratification

More 2009 numbers should be released in the coming weeks from other professional groups. We look forward to comparing them and continuing this discussion of plastic surgery trends.