Plastic Surgery Shows Growth Despite Ailing Economy

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Alex

plastic surgeries increase in 2011, cosmetic procedures and the recession, breast augmentation, liposuction, Botox, JuvedermThe plastic surgery industry has continued to grow in the midst of tough economic times, according to statistics released earlier this month by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). These statistics reveal that 13.8 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, including surgical and minimally invasive techniques, were performed in the United States in 2011. This is a 5 percent rise over 2010.

This growth was reflected across most procedures. Cosmetic surgeries increased 2 percent, with nearly 1.6 million procedures performed last year.

Top 5 Plastic Surgeries

The big stories of 2011 were male chin augmentation, which skyrocketed 71 percent from 2010 with 21,000 procedures performed, and lip augmentation, which jumped 49 percent with more than 25,000 procedures performed. Facelifts bumped tummy tucks from the bottom spot to place on the top 5 list for the first time.

However, minimally invasive procedures were the real show-stealers, with a 6 percent increase and 12.2 million procedures in 2011. These stylish and virtually pain-free methods have caught on among the wider American public and will likely experience growth for years to come.

Top 5 Minimally Invasive Procedures

  • Botulinum toxin (5.7 million procedures, up 5 percent)
  • Soft tissue fillers (1.9 million procedures, up 7 percent)
  • Chemical peel (1.1 million procedures, down 3 percent)
  • Laser hair removal (1.1 million procedures, up 15 percent)
  • Microdermabrasion (900,000 procedures, up 9 percent)

“While the rate of economic recovery in the U.S. is still uncertain, 2011 proved to be a good year for plastic surgery,” according to ASPS President Malcolm Z. Roth, M.D. “Consumer confidence was up, auto sales rose 10 percent, so it is not surprising that we would also see increased demand for plastic surgery procedures.”

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Beverly Hills “Body Expert” on Plastic Surgery

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Alex

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Andre Aboolian, body contouring, California plastic surgeon, celebrity plastic surgeonBeverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Andre Aboolian is perhaps best known as the surgeon who performed a full body lift on “The Biggest Loser” winner Erik Chopin. The celebrity surgeon and post-bariatric “body expert” is renowned across the country for his skills in body contouring surgeries such as liposuction. Earlier this month, Dr. Aboolian reflected on his career and profession with an editor at the Los Angeles Health Directory.

Dr. Aboolian spoke about some of the disturbing media portrayals of plastic surgery that have emerged over the past decade.

“I want people to know that there is a lot of GOOD plastic surgery and the good plastic surgery is the one you don’t see and don’t notice because the outcome is so natural and flattering. The difference should be visible only when you compare the before and after pictures of the patient. That’s good plastic surgery. If you can’t tell that the person’s undergone plastic surgery and looks great, that’s a plastic surgery well done. Unfortunately, the media portrays one bad plastic surgery after another.”

Plastic surgery is certainly about vanity, Dr. Aboolian says, “but so is putting on makeup in the morning, coloring hair, applying nail polish and so on. It’s all about making you look better. It is very subjective.” Good plastic surgeons work by ensuring the safety of their clients and customizing the results to suit their bodies.

Safety has also been a major concern in recent years, and while it’s true that plastic surgery can lead to tragic outcomes, these can usually be avoided by careful and concerned surgeons. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize the potential risks involved, and it’s often easy to obtain surgeries from less conscientious surgeons.

In 2007, California was shocked to learn of the death of Donda West, Kanye West’s mother, who had died from complications after plastic surgery. She had approached Dr. Aboolian for plastic surgery, but he declined because she hadn’t obtained clearance from her physician, and another LA plastic surgeon was found to perform the procedure.

“The most important thing to know is that plastic surgery is no different than any other surgery. There is the misconception that plastic surgery is somehow different (safer) than a surgery performed in a hospital… I’m no different than any other doctor, be it a heart doctor, or an urologist. I’m a physician. It’s about the human body; it’s no different; it’s not risk-free.”

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Check Your Surgeon’s Board Certification

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Alex

With the rise in the popularity of cosmetic procedures, more doctors are offering these services to the public. However, according to New York Times writer Kate Murphy, doctors who lack specialized qualifications in plastic surgery are being associated with an increase in botched cosmetic procedures. There are no laws in the United States against doctors practicing outside their specialities, so that doctors from a variety of specializations – including ENT, gynecology, and general practice – have begun marketing cosmetic procedures with thin qualifications.

Plastic surgeons across the country are noticing a disturbing trend: more patients are seeking revisionary surgery in order to correct the damage caused by botched cosmetic procedures. According to American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) president Dr. Malcolm Z. Roth, “the public needs to be protected from doctors who are not upfront about what board certifications they have.” The fact that a doctor is board-certified and has numerous credentials doesn’t necessarily translate into expert care.

Murphy spoke with one of the unfortunate victims of this phenomenon, a woman named Joan, whose last name was withheld. Joan received a facelift and tummy tuck from a doctor in Beverly Hills, but later discovered that he was board-certified in otolaryngology. She received thick scars on her temples and a wavy abdomen. “I had to use all my savings to get a real plastic surgeon to fix what he did to me,” Joan told the Times. “I have an M.B.A. I’m not stupid. But when the doctor has a nice clinic and all those diplomas and certifications on the wall, you think he knows what he’s doing.”

Current US laws make it more difficult for patients to identify top-quality care, since only Texas, California, Louisiana, and Florida require that doctors be specific about which board certifications they have in their advertising. In all other states they can simply say that they are “board-certified” without indicating which board. Doctors practicing cosmetic procedures beyond their specialty are not required to report to any oversight authority, nor are they required to report complications.

To minimize risks and ensure optimal results, patients should look for surgeons who are fully licensed and certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This certification, along with membership in ASPS, means that they have specialized in plastic surgery and are subject to stringent rules and oversight.

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