Fix an imperfection in 2009? So did 17 million Americans

(AFP PHOTO/ANWAR AMRO)

On March 9, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS), an organization of cosmetic surgeons in the American Medical Association, announced the results of their annual cosmetic surgery procedural survey and found that over 17 million Americans elected to go under the knife in 2009.

Mark Berman, MD, the president of AACS said, "with the aging of the baby boomer generation, I don't think we've come close to hitting the ceiling yet. That 17 million is only going to expand."

Berman explained, "As the economy recovers slowly but surely, we are seeing patients come back and feel better about doing some things for themselves that maybe they'd been putting off for a while."

Members of the AACS reported patients wanted more cosmetic nose operations in 2009 - the demand increased 74 percent (12,460 in 2008 to 21,730 in 2009). Facelifts also rose 44 percent (20,478 in 2008 to 34,455 in 2009).

In the past five years, the greatest increase in "invasive procedures" has been in eyelid lifts, tummy tucks and nose modifications. As for less-invasive procedures, the greatest demand is in laser resurfacing, chemical peels and fillers.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reported in February that 2009 was the year of breast augmentation in the United Kingdom. For women breast enlargement is the most popular and breast reduction is on the rise for men. BAAPS found there was an 80 percent increase (323 in 2008 to 581 in 2009) in procedures to get rid of "man-boobs" or "moobs." However the top surgeries British men go under the knife for are "nose-job" and eyelid lifts.

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) conducted a survey during the spring of 2009 on "World Financial Trends in Plastic Surgery Practices" and found the price tags for many of these elective operations to range from $5,000-10,000.

In the US and Western Europe breast reductions, "nose-jobs," tummy tucks, facelifts, hip and thigh contouring go for $5,000-10,000.

In Brazil, a tummy tuck, facelift and hip and thigh body contouring were in the $5,000- $10,000 range while most other procedures in Brazil fell under $5,000.

In all other South American countries (excluding Brazil) and all other Asian countries (excluding China, Japan and Korea), nearly all procedures cost under $5,000.

Almost everywhere in the world, one breast implant will cost under $5,000 and Botox treatments, including other fillers and dermabrasion, would be well under $5,000.