the most popular plastic surgery in 2009 was breast augmentation

Evidence of the credit crunch is apparent in the amount of plastic surgery done in America falling for two years in a row according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery based in California. They said that 10 million non-surgical and surgical operations were carried out in 2009 which is 2% down from the figure of 2008.

The biggest drop was the decline in surgical procedures which was around seventeen percent. Surgical procedures are obviously more expensive and because the majority of them are not covered by insurance many people just couldn’t afford them.

Nose jobs, breast augmentations, tummy tucks and facelifts can cost tens of thousands of dollars and are perceived as a luxury item for wealthy families. Doctor Phil Haeck speaking on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons explained that concerns about job security was the number one reason why people put off their plastic surgery.

Surveys also show that the most popular plastic surgery in 2009 was breast augmentation followed by liposuction. Breast augmentation has received a positive lift (no pun intended) following the decision by the Food and Drug Administration to allow the use of silicone breast implants which had previously been banned following health concerns.

The figures also show that buttock lifts have increased in popularity by a huge 25% along with buttock augmentations increasing by 37%. This type of surgery is particularly popular with women who have lost a lot of weight recently. Overall in the last twelve years the amount of cosmetic surgical operations in America have increased by 50 percent and the number of non-surgical procedures like Botox injections has more than doubled.

Dr. Haeck warned that people tempted to go abroad for cheaper plastic surgery should be aware that many countries did not have the same standard of experience and care that was found in America and didn’t have the same sort of regulatory approval which was required to practice cosmetic surgery.