Survey Shows Growing Desire for Plastic Surgery in U.S.

According to a survey done on RealSelf.com, consumer interest in plastic surgery is increasing despite the recession. The survey, which was developed by Harris Interactive®, interviewed 2,148 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. While the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported earlier this year that the 2009 numbers were down, the American desire to be more attractive has renewed. Harris Interactive® surveyed 2,148 adults online and 69 percent said they would choose to have cosmetic work done if money wasn't an issue. This is a 15 point ( 54%) jump from November 2009, when the survey was taken.

Of those surveyed who would get cosmetic work done, 29 percent would choose a tummy tuck, 23 percent would select liposuction, and 13 percent would opt for a face lift. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the top five surgical procedures in 2009 were: liposuction, breast augmentation, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, and abdominoplasty. The data from both sources suggests that the desire for plastic surgery procedures is based on people preferring more sizable changes over minor nips and tucks.

The survey also reported that the three most popular cosmetic treatments desired by women are the same procedures often associated with the “Mommy Makeover”. Forty-six percent of women aged 35-44 would have an abdominoplasty if money weren't an issue. Of women aged 18-34, 34 percent would undergo a tummy tuck. Another 34% of women aged 35-44 would undergo a breast lift, and 28 percent would choose liposuction. With cosmetic surgery among men growing in popularity, 29 percent of men surveyed would undergo liposuction. The survey also recorded the cosmetic procedures people planned to undergo within the next 12 months in order to gauge future trends in plastic surgery. Of the people surveyed, 23% plan a hair removal procedure, 11% seek dermal fillers, while only 3 percent noted they will have Botox® injections in the coming year. As far as surgical cosmetic procedures, here is the top 5 lineup: blepharoplasty (27%), hair replacement (18%), face lift (13%), abdominoplasty (12%), and breast lift (12%).

It is interesting to see if this survey, taken from a small sample of subjects, will accurately predict the upcoming trends in cosmetic surgery. Will laser hair removal throw Botox® off its throne? Will breast augmentation be ousted by the tummy tuck? We will have to wait and see!

*Chart and data courtesy of MedSpaRX.com

NY Times on "Spa Surgeries"

Camille Sweeney at the NY Times wrote a great article looking at the movement to more stringently regulate medical spas (Link).

The article cites an International Spa Association figure that they have increased by 85% to 1,800 across the country.

At our med-spa in Boca Raton, we have spent our medical careers dealing with cosmetic research and medicine. But many of the new med-spas popping up all over the country don't offer that level of expertise.

From the article:

“These places can offer a wonderful opportunity for a consumer to reduce stress and get treatment for the whole body,” said Lynne McNees, president of the International Spa Association. But, she added, “just because someone is in a white coat, it doesn’t mean he or she is a qualified to perform a procedure on you.”

Dr. Goldberg even got a good line in about laser hair removal: “In New York, legally, even a barber could do it, not that he would,” said Dr. David Goldberg, a cosmetic dermatologist in New Jersey, New York and Florida, as well as a law professor at Fordham University and a legal counsel to the Medical Spa Society."

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Sanctuary Plastic Surgery, Boca Raton

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Skin Laser Surgery Specialists of NY/NJ

WSJ on glut of med-spa lawsuits

The Wall Street Journal Law Blog recently posted on the latest trend in cosmetic surgery: a spike in lawsuits regarding laser hair removal.

This quote comes from the National Law Review, which the WSJ referenced in the article:

"While most states require that a doctor supervise such procedures, lawyers say it’s not happening. Some states, including Florida, New York and Illinois, are considering legislation that would more tightly regulate medical spas. In the meantime, medi-spa claims are showing up on dockets around the country.'

And plaintiffs’ lawyers say that that’s part of the problem. “No one really regulates them. I think that’s part of the problem,” says Thomas Boleky of Beutel Hurst Boleky, a personal injury firm in Chicago."

This trend only applies to both the chains and mom and pop operations that have sprung up across the country; no supervision from doctors equals lots of problems. The regulations vary from state to state as to who can run the machines.

This is not a problem at SMAC: we literally wrote the book on some of these procedures.

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Sanctuary Plastic Surgery, Boca Raton

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center, Boca Raton
Skin Laser Surgery Specialists of NY/NJ

Playboy: 2/3 of women prefer minimal pubic hair

In a recent issue of Playboy Magazine, readers were polled with the eternal question:

"How do you prefer a woman to keep her bikini triangle?"

Waxed bare - 40%
Landing strip - 25%
Trimmed short - 20%
"Light bush" - 9%
Natural - 6%

It's very interesting and telling that 2/3 of those polled prefer women with minimal pubic hair.

This is reflected in the strength of laser hair removal as a popular procedure. In fact, it is second only to Botox as the most popular procedure of 2008, according to statistics from the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Jason Pozner
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center
Sanctuary Plastic Surgery

Dr. David J. Goldberg
Sanctuary Medical Aesthetic Center
Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of NY/NJ
Laser Hair Removal [Amazon]