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. Read the full story

Plastic surgery is the focus of a new magazine, appropriately titled New You, debuting on newsstands this month.  The magazine will avoid celebrity angles, and will instead focus on providing surgical information for regular people. Read the full story

Poor Economy Affecting Looks

This same study we discussed earlier, conducted by ASAPS, showed a decline in the demand for cosmetic procedures of 12%.

The demand for cosmetic procedures is still strong, however, and it’s still up significantly from 10 years ago, although the down economy is causing people to be more selective about what they’re spending money on.

ASAPS President Alan Gold, MD said, “It’s clearly the economy, and people’s concerns about their future income, their time off from work to have a procedure, and recovery from that,” as reasons for the slowdown in demand.  He also states that he expects a rise in cosmetic procedures as the economy recovers.

The upside in this down economy is that there is a rise in the demand for cosmetic laser technology procedures, which are known for shorter recovery periods.

In its annual Procedural Survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery the shift towards non-invasive laser treatments was the most noticeable find with a significant increase of both male and females patients choosing laser resurfacing.  Laser hair removal moved to the number two position, below Botox injections, for most popular non-invasive cosmetic procedures.

The cosmetic surgery industry should continue to see a steady demand for these laser procedures because they are effective and affordable.

Patients be warned however.  It is important to remain cautious when shopping for cosmetic procedures and never let price be the driving factor for choosing a particular doctor, no matter how bad the economy.  It is always wise for patients to select a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a particular interest in aesthetic plastic surgery.

For more information on the ASAPS Survey and where other procedures ranked, you can visit their website at www.surgery.org.