ASPS Report Shows Second Year of Consecutive Growth in Plastic Surgery Market

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons released their annual statistics report last week, and it shows that Americans chose 1.6 million procedures last year.

When combined with minimally invasive procedures like Botox or Laser Treatment, the total comes to a much greater 13.8 million procedures.

Based on the latest statistics, the society is reporting a 5 percent increase in procedures for 2011.

Gives Hope to Reformed White Supremacist

A report from msnbc and the Associated Press has cast a new light on the renewing capabilities of laser surgery.

Bryon Widner had left his white supremacist lifestyle behind when he decided that facial tattoos were no longer a proper reflection of his identity.

Looking like a thug wasn’t in line with his new priorities: holding a job and doing his part to support his family.

After searching the web in vain for a safe way to remove tattoos, he reached out to a group call the Southern Poverty Law Center. The group helped him find a solution and a a donor who would help pay for his extensive tattoo removal procedures.

Dr. Bruce Shack, a plastic surgeon and member of the ASPS, was the doctor who helped Widner remove the signs of his past.

“Anyone who is prepared to put himself through this is bound to do something good with his life.”

– Dr. Bruce Shack, plastic surgeon

Widner and his wife Julie found Dr. Shack to be the professional and caring physician they needed for such an arduous treatment process.

“He didn’t just see the tattoos; he saw me as a real human being,” Widner told reporters.

The Associated Press story provides details of his laser treatment:

“On June 22, 2009, Widner lay on an operating table, his mind spinning with anxiety and hope. A nurse dabbed numbing gel all over his face. Shack towered over him in protective goggles and injected a local anesthetic. Then he started jabbing Widner’s skin, the laser making a staccato rat-tat-tat sound as it burned through his flesh.”

Through 25 laser tattoo removal procedures, Dr. Shack was able to erase the ink from Widner’s face, giving him hope for a normal life.

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With consumer confidence rising across the board, the demand for plastic surgery is rising as well.

“Consumer confidence was up and auto sales rose 10 percent,” said ASPS President Malcom Roth, “so it is not surprising that we would also see increased demand for plastic surgery procedures,” he concluded.

Procedures in cosmetic surgery increased 2 percent. For the first time since 2004, facelift surgery is among the top five cosmetic surgeries.

The number of tummy tucks decreased during 2011, while chin augmentation nearly doubled. Here are the top 5 for 2011:

  • 307,000 Breast augmentation procedures
  • 244,000 Rhinoplasty procedures
  • 205,000 Liposuction procedures
  • 196,000 Eyelid surgery procedures
  • 119,000 Facelift procedures

Surgeons also reported a sharp increase in lip augmentation procedures; at more than 25,000 procedures performed, they were up 49 percent from 2010.

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