Articles

by Holly Clegg

At one point, it seemed every man, woman and his dog was opting for plastic surgery. Desperate to gain their very own picture-perfect Hollywood features, the demand for plastic surgery over non-surgical alterations was increasing at an exponential rate. Tummy tucks, breast enlargements, liposuction, facelifts … everybody seemed to want some form of plastic surgery, increasingly for beauty rather than health, with the associated risks being ignored. It looked to the uninitiated, and experts alike, as if the trend would never change.

But that was before the economic recession. As people have started to tighten their belts (metaphorically, if not literally), an interesting pattern has emerged. Since 2008, plastic surgery procedures have undergone a steady 10% decline, all due to the global recession, says Alan Gold - MD and President of ASAPS, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

With patients postponing their plastic surgery requirements until a better financial scenario, demand for cosmetic surgery over the last decade in America has actually fallen by 12% - a dramatic figure when you consider the increases beforehand. 

Cosmetic surgeons and doctors are facing massive losses in their clinics and hospitals as a result, and are desperately hoping that demand will return once the economic situation stabilizes.

In spite of the sorry figures cut by beauty surgery clinics throughout the nation, the statistics are fascinating reading, revealing a ‘changing face’ of plastic surgery as the global downturn bites.

For the first time in 12 years, liposuction is second to breast augmentation, perhaps reflecting a move towards ‘cleavage-baring’ fashions. The other forms of cosmetic surgery in the top five include cosmetic eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and a tummy tuck.

Meanwhile, other popular varieties of plastic surgery like cup-size boost and laser skin resurfacing showed a surprising increase in demand, unusual in a time of overall decrease. In 2008 alone, almost 500,000 laser resurfacings were done, designed to restore youthful beauty to the skin. Laser hair removal, and non-surgical treatments with hyaluronic acid and chemical peels, also showed an upward trend, perhaps because of their relatively inexpensive price tags and short recovery time.

The media has played its role here, perhaps inadvertently helping to save the plastic surgery industry. Television reality shows attributing the secrets of the celebrities’ “ever young” looks to unbelievable feats of cosmetic and plastic surgery, has somewhat revived the beauty industry from drowning in these hard times.

The real question is what happens next. There must be a fear that, if the global meltdown continues, forcing us to prioritize what is truly important in our lives, the plastic surgery industry may never be the same again.
The good news for all the health and beauty clinics is that we don’t seem to be there yet. Public opinion still seems to favor plastic surgery; the mind is still willing if the wallet isn’t. An ASAPS survey showed 62% of women and 51% of men approve of cosmetic surgery, while 40% of women and 18% of men were actually considering going to a hospital now or in near future for a nip, tuck or some other form of beauty surgery.

If they keep to their word, the plastic surgery industry may just be able to weather the storm.

For a more vivid study on the changing trends of plastic surgery, you can visit http://hbconnection.com.

This article expires on August 12, 2014