Every spring we hear the results of annual surveys from professional associations like the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, which released 2009 statistics this week. The news always gives us an opportunity to speculate on and discuss nationwide trends in plastic surgery.

The numbers for 2009 show a mere two percent decrease in cosmetic treatments compared to 2008. Given the economic situation in most U.S. markets during 2009, that’s positive news.

Of the nearly 10 million cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S., non-surgical treatments like Botox and Juvederm increased slightly while a moderate (17 percent) decrease was seen in surgical procedures like the tummy tuck, liposuction or breast augmentation. While cosmetic surgeons were surely affected by the recession, many around the country are seeing strong demand return in their communities and are therefore very optimistic.

• In Virginia, plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Hess says his practice saw an increase of 11.5 percent from 2008 to 2009.
• In the Pacific Northwest, Seattle plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Grenley says despite the bump in the road that occured in late 2008 and early 2009, his plastic surgery practice has seen its busiest winter quarter in 24 years. “Patients who desire to have cosmetic surgery are finding a way to have it done” says Dr. Grenley.
• At Boston Plastic Surgery, Dr. Fouad Samaha says the past few months have brought a “strong resurgence in patient interest and volume that appears to be well ahead of economic indicators.”  Samaha says he believes the resurgence is “testimony to the high level of motivation that people have for self-improvement, feeling better about their appearance, and increasing their self-confidence.”

From the statistics and talking to plastic surgeons, it seems that the latest non-surgical treatments and breast enhancements are the recession-proof offerings keeping doctors busy.

For the Second Year, Breast Augmentation is Top Cosmetic Surgery

For the second year in a row, breast augmentation was the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery, with 311,957 estimated procedures nationwide. Doctors have suggested several reasons for the procedure’s continuing popularity:

In a Wall Street Journal article, Dr. Renato Saltz cites the reintroduction of silicone gel breast implants as a factor pushing breast augmentation procedures to the top. A younger group of patients also appear to be heavily favoring the procedure. For patients 19-34 years old, it was the most chosen surgery, while patients age 35-50 actually chose liposuction more frequently.

More statistics for 2009 will be released in the coming weeks from other professional groups. We look forward to comparing them and continuing this discussion of plastic surgery trends.

Read the ASAPS press release