Non-surgical treatments increased slightly last year while surgeries like 
abdominoplasty, liposuction or breast reduction decreased by 17 percent. Like most markets in the United States, cosmetic surgery was affected by the economic recession.
The data comes the ASAPS annual survey, in which 928 physicians from different specialties responded so industry leaders could better interpret emerging trends in cosmetic plastic surgery.
For the second year in a row, breast augmentation was the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery, with 311,957 estimated procedures nationwide. Doctors have suggested several reasons for the continued success of breast augmentation:
The reintroduction of silicone gel breast implants may be a factor, said Dr. Renato Saltz to the Wall Street Journal.
The procedure boasts a relatively quick recovery time and patients get almost “immediate gratification,” says Philadelphia surgeon Dr. Bruce Genter.
The numbers also show that breast implants were favored among younger women. For patients 19-34 years old, it was the most chosen surgery, while patients age 35-50 actually chose liposuction more frequently.
Expect more 2009 statistics to be released in the coming weeks from other societies. We’ll compare their findings and further discuss the cosmetic trends that emerged during 2009.
- Read more on surgery.org
