Plastic surgery used to be the closely held secret of affluent socialites and the Hollywood elite. But today, cosmetic procedures have come into the mainstream, and the public no longer passes judgment on those who go under the knife, according to a new survey.
There was a time when few people would openly admit that they had undergone or were considering a cosmetic procedure. Even some celebrities prefer to keep quiet about procedures they have had in fear of being judged by the public, as well as friends and associates. However, those fears are beginning to change, according to a new study.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) has just released results of a consumer survey about current attitudes and the perceptions surrounding cosmetic surgery. The focus of the survey was on how “accepted” it is in the mainstream to have had work done.
The results aren’t too surprising: 71 percent of respondents think society is now less judgmental about plastic surgery than it was even five years ago. 62 percent of those surveyed feel that this less judgmental outlook has made them personally more comfortable when thinking about getting a procedure.
Dr. Mark Berman, AACS President-Elect, says the data only confirms what many patients and plastic surgeons have felt for a long time – that cosmetic surgery has become mainstream.
“A variety of factors have contributed to the normalization of our industry, but the bottom line is that people are not afraid to talk openly about cosmetic surgery anymore,” he said in a press statement.
The most accepted surgical procedures were breast augmentation, face lifts, and tummy tucks while the most accepted non surgical procedures were Botox and laser hair removal.
Younger respondents embraced the notion of a nip and tuck more so than their older counterparts, with twice as many people under age 40 saying they would consider a procedure in the future than those over age 40. And, although the overall consensus is that cosmetic surgery is more acceptable, only 52 percent of survey respondents said they would tell family if they were going under the knife.
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