Plastic surgery and the recession

The media has been all over the recent statistics released from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showing the number of cosmetic surgical  procedures done in 2008 to be down 9%.  However as always when one looks closely at the statistics this is not the whole story.  Overall cosmetic procedures ( not just surgical procedures) are up 3%! This includes Botox and fillers such as Restylene , Juvederm and Evolence. And Reconstructive procedures are up 3% as well.  Not bad for the worst recession since the great depression! I was very pleased to see that breast reconstruction was reported up by 39% –  this means to me that women are getting offered breast reconstruction and as they should ( there is a Federal law mandating that insurance companies cover reconstruction after cancer treatment) insurance companies are covering the procedures.  There was also an increase in lower body lifts and buttock lifts both of which are procedures often done after patients have lost a lot of weight –  both by diet as well as by bariatric surgery.  The news is not always that bad it matters what you are looking for!