Plastic Surgeons Help Make Cosmetic Work Affordable After the Recession
The number of men and women receiving cosmetic treatments is leveling off as the interest among both groups remain high. That is what the latest report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) shows. According to their numbers, there were 12.5 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2009 – a one percent decrease from the previous year. This is a slight departure from the steady rise in plastic surgery that we’ve seen in the last decade, with total cosmetic procedures increasing 69 percent since 2000.
This drop in plastic surgery procedures does not necessarily signal a shift in attitudes about cosmetic work, according to the ASPS. Rather, this decrease is likely due to many Americans still reeling from the effects of the economic recession. There is evidence supporting this perspective in the report as well. Although overall cosmetic procedures saw a decrease last year, the amount of cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures actually increased by one percent. Such procedures are typically less costly, non-surgical and require little to no time off of work for the patient. Furthermore, in a survey where individuals were asked whether they would get cosmetic work if money were not an object – 69 percent of the respondents from the RealSelf community said “yes.”
The dilemma is clear: Americans want plastic surgery but are having trouble affording it. Recognizing this, many plastic surgeons are helping to close the gap by offering discounts, financing and other options that make cosmetic procedures more affordable. At the office of Dr. Amy Bandy, a board certified plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, tummy tucks, breast augmentations and other cosmetic procedures may be financed through Care Credit for approved patients. At this point, patients may be able to spread the costs of plastic surgery across several months, oftentimes without incurring extra costs. Dr. Bandy is a reputable doctor among Newport Beach plastic surgeons who are making their services more affordable.