Lasers Laud It Over Liposuction: Minimally Invasive Aesthetic Procedures Are Up 5%
The economy has officially been in a recession since the fourth quarter of 2008, but you might not know it by talking to aesthetic medicine practitioners. In their recently released report, “2008 Plastic Surgery Procedural Statistics,” the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) announced that, while cosmetic surgical procedures such as: surgical liposuction, tummy tucks and breast augmentations are down 9% in 2008, minimally-invasive procedures such as: laser skin resurfacing, Botox® and hyaluronic fillers are capturing this sagging surgery market, and rose by 5% in 2008. “These statistics confirm our “2009 Trends” which forecast that the future for minimally-invasive treatments offered by trained physicians in aesthetic medicine is booming,” confirms Jeff Russell, Executive Director of the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine (IAPAM). So move over scalpels and sutures and make way for the growth in injectables and lasers.
When Leonard Lauder, Chairman of Estee Lauder, saw a huge jump in lipstick sales after September 11th, he coined the phrase, “the Lipstick Effect.” Lauder determined that during times of economic uncertainty, consumers load up on affordable luxuries as a substitute for more expensive items. Well times have never been more economically uncertain. Economic gurus and political pundits are flooding the Sunday morning news programs with ever more dire prognostications about the economic crisis. And what does all of this mean for the Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery or Aesthetic Medicine field? Simply stated by the ASPS, “according to the newest national procedural statistics report ….. in 2008, doctors performed over 12 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures — encompassing both surgical and minimally-invasive procedures. Surgical numbers dropped nine percent to 1.7 million of the 12 million procedures preformed, while minimally-invasive numbers rose five percent and represented 10.4 million of the 12 million procedures reported.”
So the “lipstick effect” in aesthetic medicine means profits for trained doctors who offer these coveted treatments. Indeed, “the IAPAM is seeing growth in its membership and at its physician-led educational symposiums, as more and more physicians begin to incorporate these minimally-invasive procedures into their practices,” heralds Jeff Russell of the IAPAM.
Another contributing factor in the growth of minimally-invasive procedures is in the stellar technical improvements in laser and other cosmetic industry technology. The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) also published its annual Procedural Survey results, and the “most notable finding is the shift towards non-invasive laser treatments.” “Cosmetic surgery technology is advancing at the speed of light,” quipped AACS President Patrick McMenamin, MD. “Patients benefit from effective results and quicker recover time. It is an exciting time for both cosmetic procedure patients and physicians.”
Ultimately, the news if very good for hands-on trained doctors offering aesthetic medicine treatments to their patients. “With consumers clearly watching their dollars, this is the optimal time for physicians, like our IAPAM members, to get into this growth industry,” states Jeff Russell. The economy is influencing what procedures are being selected, and it is also dictating the price points that are most favorable for those procedures. To that end, Russell comments that, “why get Botox® or dermal fillers done at an expensive plastic surgery clinic, when you can have it done at an accredited medical spa or in your own physician’s office for less.” The ASPS Statistics are consistent with the IAPAM’s forecast that this economy spells “profits for the medical spa industry.”
For a copy of the ASPS 2008 Report, go to http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Press_Kits/Procedural_Statistics.html and for more information on the IAPAM’s educational programs or for information on the upcoming Aesthetic Medicine Symposiums in 2009, please contact Jeff Russell, Executive Director, IAPAM, at 1-800-219-5108 ext. 705, or visit http://www.aestheticmedicinesymposium.com.
