Lunchtime Snap: Major Plastic Surgery on The Decline–Do Looks Matter Less in This Economy?
In a sign that looks matter less in today’s economy, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported yesterday that 48% of women considering cosmetic surgery polled in an October survey said they were less likely to schedule a consultation, up from 30% in March.
The plastic surgeons’ group, which says it had already seen a decline in major surgeries earlier this year, announced the results at its annual national conference in Chicago yesterday, noting that 59% of the 123 women polled in an online survey in October said the weak economy had an impact on their plans for plastic surgery. In a similar poll in March, 9% of those surveyed said the economy was impacting their cosmetic surgery plans.
At the same time, U.S. cosmetic surgeons are reporting an increase in smaller procedures such as Botox and minor lifts and tucks, says Dr. John Canady, the group’s president-elect. He says surgeons are seeing greater demand for such procedures because they cost less and take less time. At Manhattan Dr. Yan Trokel’s clinic, for example, a patient who’s undergone a face-lift will need to take several weeks off from work to recover while those who opt for Botox or several kinds of minor lifts can return to work within the same day. “People can’t be away from their jobs for a long period of time, especially in this economy,” Dr. Trokel says.
Has the economy affected any plans you or your friends have for plastic surgery?
source: Wall Street Journal
