Breast Surgeries Rise As Economy Falls
Cosmetic Surgery Flourishing Despite The Current Recession
BBC News is reporting that cosmetic surgery is still managing to hold its own despite the economic downturn, with the number of those going under the knife increasing as ever.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has released figures showing that the rise in procedures is much higher than expected, including a 1,000% rise in male breast reduction surgeries since 2003. It includes a 44% rise from the previous year and a total of 323 operations in 2008.
Unsurprisingly, breast augmentation procedures for women played a large role in the rise as well, with the amount of surgeries undertaken increasing by 30% in 2008 and a total of 8,000 operations.
But the amount of men undergoing cosmetic surgery has also been on the rise, as is consistent with reports to the same effect in October. As well as opting for breast reduction procedures to treat the effects of a condition known as gynaecomastia, men have also been going under the knife to receive ear correction surgery (otoplasty), eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) and brow lifts.
It seems that even as people’s wallets tighten, the demand for cosmetic treatments remains strong, with the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons referring to a number of possible reasons.
Rajiv Grover who is a consultant plastic surgeon for BAAPS as well as the Secretary in charge of the UK national audit of cosmetic surgery accounts for some of it, “There has been a dramatic rise in the number of procedures such as male breast reduction and brow lifts. This may be due to heightened media attention, which has allowed men to realise the positive outcomes that can be achieved.”
The results do not follow suit for liposuction, with figures down as well as those for women undergoing otoplasty, which Grover also refers to,
“It is also the first year since records began that we have seen a fall in liposuction and eyelid surgery, which may be due to the great number of non-surgical alternatives now available for those areas.”
The figures also show a 1.5% rise in rhinoplasty (nose job) procedures, a 30% rise in abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) procedures and a 1.7% rise in face/neck lifts. In 2008, a total of 34,187 procedures were carried out by BAAPS members.
