Hello, thedouger-ga!
Thank you for a most interesting question. I trust you will find the
following information helpful. I believe I have covered the key
components of your question but if you find anything missing, please
don't hesitate to ask!
==
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has compiled a
variety of demographic statistics concerning cosmetic surgery
consumers. You can download several years worth of statistics from the
following site. Some of the most recent are highlighted below.
http://surgery.org/statistics.html
"NEARLY 6.9 MILLION COSMETIC PROCEDURES IN 2002, SAYS AMERICAN SOCIETY
FOR AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGERY." American Society for Aesthetic Plastic
Surgery. (March 4, 2003)
http://surgery.org/news_releases/mar0303stats.html
* Plastic surgery procedures have seen a 1% increase since 2001, and a
whopping 228% since 1997! *
"Last year's increase in surgical procedures, while small, speaks to
people's strong motivation for making positive changes in their lives
-- despite worries about the economy and world tensions," says
Franklin DiSpaltro, MD, president of the American Society for
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery."
"Among the most significant increases in the surgical category for
2002, compared to the previous year, were abdominoplasty (tummy tuck),
up 17%; breast augmentation, up 15%; breast reduction, up 9%;
facelift, up 6%; and breast lift, up 4%."
Non-surgical procedures, including Botox injections,
microdermabrasion and collagen injections accounted for 76.5% of the
total procedures, primarily because they must be repeated on a
consistent basis. Surgical procedures accounted for 23.5% of the
total.
Top Surgical Procedures:
"The five most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in 2002 were
lipoplasty (liposuction), 372,831; breast augmentation, 249,641;
eyelid surgery, 229,092; rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), 156,973; and
breast reduction (females), 125,614. (Note that breast reduction may
be covered by insurance, depending on terms of the policy and
individual patient factors.)
"Six new surgical procedures were added to the ASAPS survey for 2002.
These included umbilicoplasty (belly button enhancement) and breast
nipple enlargement, both of which have been reported as "trends" by
the media. ASAPS statistics show that the actual number of these
procedures was extremely small, with umbilicoplasty ranking 32nd
(2,082 procedures) and breast nipple enlargement ranking 35th (540
procedures) among the 36 procedures surveyed."
Gender Distribution:
"Males had 12% (807,692) of all cosmetic procedures, while females had
88% (6,081,857) of the total. The percentage of procedures
attributable to males and females respectively was virtually unchanged
from 2001. The top surgical procedure for both men and women was
lipoplasty (liposuction)".
Age Distribution:
"Among five designated age groups included in the survey, the greatest
number of procedures (44%) was performed on people ages 35 to 50, with
lipoplasty (liposuction) being the most popular surgery and Botox
injection the most popular nonsurgical treatment. Those 18 years old
and younger accounted for just over 3% of cosmetic procedures, down
slightly from 2001. Among this age group, nonsurgical procedures
including chemical peel, microdermabrasion and laser hair removal were
the most popular. The most frequently performed surgical procedure for
people 18 and under was ear reshaping, often done on very young
children, and nose reshaping. Men and women 65 and older had 5% of
procedures, with eyelid surgery as the top surgical procedure and
Botox injection the most popular nonsurgical treatment in this age
group."
Racial and Ethnic Distribution:
"Racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 19% of all cosmetic
surgery procedures, an overall 2% increase from 2001: Hispanics, 8%;
African-Americans, 5%; Asians, 4%; and other non-Caucasians, 2%."
===
A more succinct report can be found at ASAP's 2002 Quick Facts:
http://surgery.org/stats2002/quick_facts.pdf
Age of Consumers:
35-50 - 44% of total procedures
19-24 - 25% of total procedures
51-64 - 23% of total procedures
65 and older - 5% of total procedures
under 18 - under 3% of procedures
===
See detailed charts:
"2002 Gender Distribution for Cosmetic Procedures." ASAPS
http://surgery.org/stats2002/quick_facts.pdf
"2002 Age Distribution for Cosmetic Procedures." ASAPS
http://surgery.org/stats2002/age.pdf
"2002 National Average for Physician/Surgeon Fees Per Procedure."
ASAPS
http://surgery.org/stats2002/physician_fees.pdf
==
From "All Boomers Are Not Alike," by Carol Morgan and Doran Levy,
Ph.D. Catalog Age. (Feb 1, 2003)
http://catalogagemag.com/ar/marketing_boomers_not_alike/
The authors of the article broke down baby-boomers into four distinct
categories within a certain demographic..."people 40 and older with
pretax household income of $75,000 and above, or assets of at least
$200,000 if married; income of at least $50,000 or assets of at least
$100,000 if single. Of the U.S. population 40 and older, 28% meet
these criteria.
Of the four distinct groups within this category, the following are
considered to be the most interested in cosmetic surgery.
"The next largest group, the Financial Positives, account for 29% of
the 40-and-up population. They are realists and long-term planners,
and they have definitely planned not to work in retirement. Very
financially secure, Financial Positives are also relentless seekers of
value. Those in this segment are savvy buyers, whether they are
purchasing a couch or a cruise.
* Although Financial Positives have a positive view of their lives,
they are not satisfied with their current appearance or their
memories. Of all the Lifestyle segments, plastic surgery would be of
greatest interest to Financial Positives.*
===
From "Chasing Youth." American Demographics. (Oct.2002)
http://www.agewave.com/media_files/americademographics.html
*Please see the chart at the end of the article which contains some
consumer statistics on plastic surgery procedures as well as other
"youth-enhancing" products.*
Some excerpts follow:
"For the 78 million Americans between the ages of 38 and 56, the
struggle to cling to youth has moved from a private war fought in
front of the bathroom mirror to a highly public, generational
obsession...Even the pain and expense of plastic surgery is no
deterrent to gravity-defying Boomers seeking lifts, tucks, transplants
and augmentations. The most popular cosmetic procedure in the nation
is now Botox treatments. In 2001, Americans underwent 1.6 million
injections - a whopping 2,356 percent increase over 1996."
According to the AARP, "1 in 10 (of baby-boomers) is contemplating the
radical step of cosmetic surgery."
"Hundreds of anti-aging clinics have opened in recent years, and
plastic surgery, once the domain of senior citizens, now finds half of
all its patients among 35- to 50-year-olds."
"Boomers more determined to improve their looks are turning to
surgery. The number of cosmetic plastic surgery patients increased 11
times over the past five years, to 5.6 million, according to the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons [ASPS]. The wildly popular Botox
is literally changing the face of Baby Boomers, its biggest fans. The
fact that the procedure involves having toxic botulism injected into
your face hasn't stopped Boomers from flocking to their dermatologists
for the $300 to $1,000 procedure. And the results are astonishing,
according to proponents, shaving years off the faces of
worried-looking managers and transforming laid-off tech executives
into, well, seemingly less-stressed former tech execs."
"Because the effect lasts only about four months, repeat injections
have provided a steady revenue stream for Allergan, Botox's Irvine,
Calif.-based manufacturer. Within a few years, some analysts predict
the company may record $1 billion in Botox sales - up from $310
million last year. A $50 million ad campaign this year targets the
female readers of People, Vogue and The New Yorker [men will get their
own campaign in 2003]. In some communities, dermatologists host
Tupperware-like Botox parties, performing procedures in a bedroom
while prospective patients nibble on the cheese tray elsewhere in the
house. "Botox can be administered during a lunch break, and there is
virtually no recovery time needed," says Tom Albright, Allergan's
senior director of marketing at Botox Cosmetic. "Baby Boomers want the
best that life has to offer, and they don't want to wait for it."
"For some, that philosophy extends to more invasive cosmetic surgery
procedures. In 2001, 125,000 Americans had facelifts; 275,000
underwent liposuction to remove midriff bulge and 220,000 went in for
breast enhancements. While women still undergo most of the procedures,
men now account for 14 percent of all cosmetic surgeries, according to
the ASPS. And Boomers are having the procedures performed at younger
and younger ages. "Twenty years ago, the average age of a facelift
patient was 60 years old. Now it's 50," says Dr. Edward Luce, the ASPS
president and chief of plastic surgery at University Hospitals of
Cleveland."
"Fueling this trend is an increasing acceptance of surgical
intervention in the name of youth, says Luce, a plastic surgeon for 27
years. "Americans used to have a Calvinistic view that you should be
satisfied with your appearance," he continues. "Messing with your
appearance was like messing with God. But Boomers believe in
rejuvenating cosmetic surgeries. They feel younger than they look." In
fact, Luce fears that procedures like Botox may become too popular,
encouraging people to get injections without a medical consultation or
warnings about side effects. "We worry that it could become available
at the corner drugstore," says Luce.
(Go ahead and have the surgery, but don't let anyone know!)
Despite the growing popularity of the procedures, many Boomers are
still loath to discuss their rejuvenation efforts. When TV host Greta
Van Susteren underwent an eye tuck and forehead squeeze before moving
to a new post at the Fox News Channel, fellow journalists blasted her
for having the procedures. In a RoperASW survey last year, 65 percent
of respondents said they thought cosmetic surgery was an indulgence
for those who are rich, insecure or vain. "Boomers have always
believed that they answer to a higher calling," says Roper's
Leinberger.
** Dr. Robert Goldman, the chairman of the board of the American
Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, calls baby-boomers "the most motivated
patient population in history. They have the financial power and
desire to intervene in the aging process." **
====
Cosmetic Surgery Spans the Spectrum of Wealth and Career
========================================================
"Cosmetic surgery appeal stretches to lower income brackets," by Anne
Scheck. Cosmetic Surgery Times.
(September 1, 2001)
http://www.cosmeticsurgerytimes.com/cosmeticsurgerytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=3811
Entire article follows:
"Cosmetic surgery is attracting many people from an unsuspected rung
of the economic ladder: those in occupations associated with
low-to-moderate pay.
That is one of the findings based on a questionnaire investigation
completed by a group of cosmetic surgeons in the San Francisco Bay
area who wanted to determine the specific demographics - right down to
the education level - of their patient population. The results
surprised the lead investigator, Corey Maas, M.D., who found that a
large portion of the people who want facelift surgery are earning a
modest $40,000 to $50,000 annually.
That is far from an upper-middle class income, at least in San
Francisco where Dr. Maas is located. "That was what was remarkable to
me," said Dr. Maas, associate professor and chief, facial plastic
surgery, University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. Maas noted another surprising fact that emerged from the study was
that the questionnaire participants largely came from professions in
which age did not appear to have a major impact on either
employability or advancement.
So who were these people? They ranged from executive secretaries to
store clerks. All seemed to have one thing in common: they wanted a
rejuvenated look -not necessarily because they thought it would help
protect them against age discrimination by superiors or colleagues,
but because they had a personal desire to look younger and healthier.
Others said they saw themselves as younger appearing, and they did not
like looking in a mirror to see an exterior image that conflicted with
their internal one.
Dr. Maas said he and his colleagues undertook the study because there
is such scant information in medical literature about the changing
nature of patient populations. In his experience, the population gets
younger all the time, but the patients in the 30 to 40 age range
typically want noninvasive ways of maintaining a younger appearance
and delaying the signs of aging. At around 50, people begin to ask
more directly for a surgical procedure, he has found.
As part of the initial phase of a prospective study on facelift
surgery, Dr. Maas and his co-investigators offered discounted surgical
fees for all study participants responding to an advertisement to
enroll in the study.
The study included 350 respondents who completed extensive questions,
including some designed to give the kind of details that would reveal
everything from lifestyle to college experience. The desire for a
facelift was found to be so strong among this group that a majority
indicated if they were suddenly handed $10,000, they would prefer to
spend it on cosmetic surgery rather than on a vacation of their
dreams.
Surgery for rejuvenation of the aging face has never been more widely
performed and accepted than it is today, Dr. Maas noted.
But until this study, it was not apparent to him that more than
societal attitudes have changed, as has the willingness to pay for
such procedures among lower levels of the financial pyramid.
As recent statistics have shown, 82 percent of women claim that if
they were to have cosmetic surgery, they would not be embarrassed if
others knew about it.
This increased acceptance, combined with the aging of the baby boomers
- a generally affluent group - has led to a 15 percent increase in the
number of facelifts performed in the United States between 1997 and
1999, he pointed out.
Dr. Maas stressed that the patients who answered the survey were
interested in the surgery or they would not have come in for the
discount.
====
Recession is NOT a Deterrent!
=============================
Read "Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Steady At 7.5 Million Despite Economic
Recession." (April 19, 2002)
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4PRN/2002_April_19/85897201/p1/article.jhtml?term=who+gets+cosmetic+surgery
According to a 2001 report from the American Society of Plastic
Surgeons, "statistics show that cosmetic plastic surgery has moved
beyond the notion of being an exclusive privilege of the rich and
famous," noted ASPS President Edward Luce, MD, Cleveland.
"Even in a difficult year economically with a recession intensified by
the terrible events of September 11, people continued to consider
plastic surgery as a reasonable option to feel better about
themselves, enhance their appearance or minimize signs of aging."
==
Northeasterners most likely to seek improved appearance!
=======================================================
According to a 1998 survey by ASPRS, those who live in Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont express the desire for cosmetic
surgery more than the rest of the US population.
Read "Northeasterners Are Most Likely to Want Cosmetic Surgery
According to an ASPRS Survey." (Oct 6, 1998)
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4PRN/1998_Oct_6/53059860/p1/article.jhtml?term=who+gets+cosmetic+surgery
"Seventeen percent of Northeasterners report having had cosmetic
surgery or anticipate having cosmetic surgery at some point in their
lives, making them the Americans most likely to want plastic surgery,
according to a survey by the American Society of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) released today. Sixteen percent of
Americans in Western states have had cosmetic surgery or think they
will have it, followed by 12 percent of Southerners and 11 percent of
Midwesterners."
"Northeasterners are also the least likely to disapprove of cosmetic
surgery at only 10 percent. Sixteen percent of those in the West
disapprove, followed by 12 percent in both the South and Midwest."
(Read article for more detailed information)
===
Approval for Surgery is Increasing
==================================
From "New Survey Shows Majority of Americans Approve of Cosmetic
Surgery, Says American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery." (Feb
20, 2003)
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4PRN/2003_Feb_20/97875522/p1/article.jhtml?term=who+gets+cosmetic+surgery
"A new survey shows that more than half (54%) of all Americans approve
of cosmetic plastic surgery and nearly one-quarter (24%) say they
would consider having cosmetic surgery themselves, either now or in
the future. The February 2003 consumer attitudes poll of 1000 American
households was commissioned by the American Society for Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and conducted by the independent research firm
Market Facts.
Whether people are married or unmarried has little to do with whether
or not they would consider cosmetic surgery; 24% of married Americans
and 25% of unmarried Americans said they would consider cosmetic
surgery.
Women are more likely than men to contemplate cosmetic surgery; nearly
one-third (30%) of women said they would consider having cosmetic
surgery, compared to 18% of men. But many of those who might not want
surgery themselves say it has nothing to do with what others might
think. More than three-quarters (77%) of all women and 74% of all men
said that if they had cosmetic surgery, they would not be embarrassed
if other people knew about it.
"Most people today see nothing unusual about men and women wanting to
improve their appearance by having cosmetic plastic surgery," says
ASAPS President Franklin DiSpaltro, MD. "People are living longer, and
they want to enjoy life more. Looking good is part of feeling good,
and that is what's important to people."
Even though approval of cosmetic surgery among people under 35 is high
(56%), younger people are more likely than older Americans to want to
keep their cosmetic surgery a secret. Twenty-four percent (24%) of
18-to-34 year olds said they would not want people outside their
family and close friends to know they had undergone cosmetic surgery,
compared to only 8% of 55-to-64 year olds.
===
If I can clarify any points further, please feel free to ask. I will
be happy to help if I can!
umiat-ga
Google Search Strategy
US demographics +plastic surgery consumers
Cosmetic Surgery Times archive
Findarticles.com
who gets cosmetic surgery |
Clarification of Answer by
umiat-ga
on
10 Jul 2003 16:53 PDT
Hello again,thedouger!
Okay, let me try to clarify this a bit and pull out the very specific
answers to the components of your question that may have been hidden
under too much extra informtion about procedures! I may have lost you
with a lot of extraneous information that you did not necessarily want
:)
("The Report" which you state is "easy to find on the web" is actually
a series of statistics which does happen to include types of plastic
surgery. It was some extra background information that I thought might
be useful. There are also several other statistical reports from the
same organization which highlight age and sex of consumers.)
The Reports from the ASAPS were only one of several references cited
from different sources. References from Catalog Age, American
Demographics, Cosmetic Surgery Times, The American Society of Plastic
Surgeons (different from ASAPS) and American Society of Plastic and
Reconsturctive Surgeons (different still!) were also cited. And these
references were only a small proportion of articles I researched to
pull out specific answers to your question. I read many articles that
were simply not applicable or re-stated the informtion in a different
way.
I did try to be very conscientious about providing answers to the
different components to your question, and in no way tried to
circumvent any issues.
=====================================================================================
Components of your original question and coverage in my answer to
those topics follow::
======================================================================================
AGE
===
Age Distribution: (this includes age groups and most popular surgery)
"Among five designated age groups included in the survey, the greatest
number of procedures (44%) was performed on people ages 35 to 50, with
lipoplasty (liposuction) being the most popular surgery and Botox
injection the most popular nonsurgical treatment. Those 18 years old
and younger accounted for just over 3% of cosmetic procedures, down
slightly from 2001. Among this age group, nonsurgical procedures
including chemical peel, microdermabrasion and laser hair removal were
the most popular. The most frequently performed surgical procedure for
people 18 and under was ear reshaping, often done on very young
children, and nose reshaping. Men and women 65 and older had 5% of
procedures, with eyelid surgery as the top surgical procedure and
Botox injection the most popular nonsurgical treatment in this age
group."
Age of Consumers: (this was stricly the most recent age component
figures (disregarding the type of surgery performed)
35-50 - 44% of total procedures
19-24 - 25% of total procedures
51-64 - 23% of total procedures
65 and older - 5% of total procedures
under 18 - under 3% of procedures
"plastic surgery, once the domain of senior citizens, now finds half
of
all its patients among 35- to 50-year-olds."
""Twenty years ago, the average age of a facelift patient was 60 years
old. Now it's 50," says Dr. Edward Luce, the ASPS president and chief
of plastic surgery at University Hospitals of
Cleveland."
SEX
===
"Males had 12% (807,692) of all cosmetic procedures
"Females had 88% (6,081,857) of the total.
"While women still undergo most of the procedures, men now account for
14 percent of all cosmetic surgeries, according to the ASPS."
"Women are more likely than men to contemplate cosmetic surgery;
nearly one-third (30%) of women said they would consider having
cosmetic surgery, compared to 18% of men."
ANNUAL INCOME and SPENDING HABITS and CAREER
=============================================
I quoted an entire article that was very specific to this part of your
question:
"Cosmetic surgery appeal stretches to lower income brackets," by Anne
Scheck. Cosmetic Surgery Times. (September 1, 2001)
http://www.cosmeticsurgerytimes.com/cosmeticsurgerytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=3811
A few highlights:
"Cosmetic surgery is attracting many people from an unsuspected rung
of the economic ladder: those in occupations associated with
low-to-moderate pay."
"..a large portion of the people who want facelift surgery are earning
a modest $40,000 to $50,000 annually."
There is an obvious "willingness to pay for such (cosmetic surgery)
procedures among lower levels of the financial pyramid.
Career:
"..participants largely came from professions in which age did not
appear to have a major impact on either employability or
advancement.So who were these people? They ranged from executive
secretaries to store clerks."
==
(Baby boomers).."have the financial power and desire to intervene in
the aging process."
http://www.agewave.com/media_files/americademographics.html
As revealed in my references, baby boomers (generally accepted to be
between 35 and 55) are a large proportions of the cosmetic surgery
clientelle.
Information pertaining to the income and spending habits of this
particular group of plastic surgery consumers was highlighted in my
original answer:
http://catalogagemag.com/ar/marketing_boomers_not_alike/
Out of a particular demographic of baby boomers ..."people 40 and
older with
* pretax household income of $75,000 * and above,
* or assets of at least $200,000 if married;*
* income of at least $50,000 or assets of at least $100,000 if
single"*.
== a specific subgroup appears most interested in obtaining plastic
surgery: ==
This subgroup, termed "the Financial Positives, account for 29% of
the 40-and-up population.
(What are their spending habits?)
================================
They are realists and long-term planners, and they have definitely
planned not to work in retirement. Very financially secure, Financial
Positives are also relentless seekers of
value. Those in this segment are savvy buyers, whether they are
purchasing a couch or a cruise.
* Although Financial Positives have a positive view of their lives,
they are not satisfied with their current appearance or their
memories. Of all the Lifestyle segments, plastic surgery would be of
greatest interest to Financial Positives.*
DISPOSABLE INCOME
=================
An actual financial statistic is not availble for this, since
cosmetic surgery patients are spanning all economic levels, as was
shown in my answer.
However, people are willing to spend on cosmetic surgery, whether they
put off other pleasures or necessities or actually push necessary
bills aside.
"Even in a difficult year economically with a recession intensified by
the terrible events of September 11, people continued to consider
plastic surgery as a reasonable option to feel better about
themselves, enhance their appearance or minimize signs of aging."
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4PRN/2002_April_19/85897201/p1/article.jhtml?term=who+gets+cosmetic+surgery
"Even the pain and expense of plastic surgery is no deterrent to
gravity-defying Boomers seeking lifts, tucks, transplants and
augmentations."
http://www.agewave.com/media_files/americademographics.html
"The desire for a facelift was found to be so strong among this group
that a majority indicated if they were suddenly handed $10,000, they
would prefer to spend it on cosmetic surgery rather than on a vacation
of their dreams.
http://www.cosmeticsurgerytimes.com/cosmeticsurgerytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=381
TYPES OF PEOPLE
===============
Almost all of the references in my answer provide different aspects
concerning the "types of people" who seek cosmetic surgery.
===
A FEW MORE REFERENCES
=====================
The year 2003 is seeing a difference in willingness to spend!
"Economic Slump Hits Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures. Botox Takes
Lead as Most Popular Plastic Surgery Procedure Overall." ASPS (April
15, 2003)
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news_room/press_releases/Economic-Slump-Hits-Non-Surgical-Cosmetic-Procedures.cfm
"The slumping economy has affected the spending habits of people
choosing non-surgical cosmetic plastic surgery to maintain or improve
their appearance. According to statistics just released by the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the number of people
choosing non-surgical procedures such as microdermabrasion and
chemical peel in 2002 decreased 15 percent from the previous year."
==
From "Plastic surgery boom -Climate makes Vegas hot market for
industry," by By Susan Snyder. Las Vegas Sun (July 30, 2000)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/archives/2000/jul/30/510569549.html
Cosmetic Surgery and Career
For many Las Vegans surgery isn't a matter of vanity. It's a career
investment. Having the right look can mean getting the right part in
the right show. Las Vegas singer Paul Finocchiaro says the minute his
nose became smaller his options grew larger.
"When it got fixed my employer said, 'You can understudy the lead.'
It's the difference between what you're capable of before and what
you're capable of afterward employment-wise," Finocchiaro said.
He recalled a woman who worked as a dancer at a hotel-casino. She was
a great singer, but the show manager said her ears were too big to
leave the dancer's line and sing solo.
"He said, 'It's your ears, honey.' It's like you're good -- you can be
a topless dancer. But you can't be a singer even though you have a
voice to sing," Finocchiaro said. "At auditions they point-blank tell
you you're not getting this job because your nose is too big or your
boobs are too small."
Getting those sizes right can be costly, but not as much as in New
York or Los Angeles, said Stephen Miller, who started his Las Vegas
plastic surgery practice a month ago.
He says Las Vegas Valley prices hover around the national average on
most procedures.
......
Finocchiaro paid about $8,000 for his nose job. He had a breathing
problem that needed correction so health insurance picked up most of
the tab. Most plastic surgery patients, however, don't have a medical
condition. The price of the surgery is the price they pay for beauty.
"It does have its advantages -- especially in this business,"
Finocchiaro said. "Since I got my surgery, I get lead singer's jobs."
Vinnik remembers the days when people used to pay him by peeling bills
off a roll of $100s. Those days definitely are gone. Even people who
have the money pay for their procedures through a finance company or
on credit cards. About 60 percent of Vinnik's patients pay on credit.
"One company offers an 11 percent interest rate, which is pretty
good," he said. "People are buying cosmetic surgery like they're
buying cars."
And just like buying cars, they price shop. About half of the calls
Vinnik gets are people wanting to know what he charges for a certain
procedure. If they never make an appointment, he knows they probably
found it cheaper somewhere else.
==
"Under the Knife: Healthy economy, youth-oriented culture encourage
patients to have cosmetic surgery," by Bernice L. Guity. Business
Journal (2000)
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2000/01/31/focus1.html
==
"Cosmetic Dollars Shift, Not Drop, During Recession and War," by Karen
Nash. Dermatology Times.
http://www.dermatologytimes.com/dermatologytimes/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=60740&&pageID=1
...."Dr. Wolf, however, is not ready to blame the economy (for the
drop in cosmetic surgery). "The housing market out here is still
booming according to my real-estate patients, and my
construction-working patients are still going crazy. So, while the
economy supposedly isn't doing terribly well, there seems to be a bit
of a disconnect here, so I'm not sure what caused the slowdown in
cosmetic procedures."
In practice 16 years, Dr. Wolf isn't surprised that cosmetic
procedures have seen a decrease around the country, however.
Dr. Woofter
"For a few years before 2002, people were pretty giddy. So much money
was happening on Wall Street and everything was a success story.
People thought they might as well spend their money and look their
best. Then, all of a sudden, this whopping dose of reality hit, and
people realized that maybe they should save for retirement."
Looking Good Going Down
On the opposite coast, Ricardo Mejia, M.D., who left a large group
practice this year for a solo office in Jupiter, Fla., says he saw a
decrease in patient interest, even before his move. "After Sept. 11 we
saw people laid off. Disposable income was tight, so they felt they
have to conserve their dollars for where they really needed them.
"That didn't go for everybody. I've noticed there seem to be two
classes of people. One, obviously, are the middle of the road people,
where money is tight. While they want to have cosmetic procedures,
they have to preserve their money to pay for something else of more
important concern -- the rent , the food, the kids.
"Other people are fairly well-to-do, because even after Sept. 11, I
got a higher volume of hair transplant patients, and I wondered about
that. My thought was that perhaps there was a lot of uncertainty, and
what they had been putting off until later - they just decided to go
ahead and do it. It was as if a lot of people said to themselves,
'Well, if a bomb is going to blow up, I might as well look good,
because money won't matter any more anyway."
Dr. Mejia, who has been in practice for four years, says it's hard to
generalize patient reaction over the past couple years. "It's hard to
put everything in one basket. I've one guy who actually said, 'If I'm
going down, I might as well look good.'
"At the same time, I have another patient who had a hair transplant a
few years ago and now is unemployed in the electronics industry. He
has wanted to do more, but he had to sell his house and his boat and
is now living in an apartment -- so it's very difficult."
Weathering the Storm
In Oak Lawn, Ill., Kenneth B. Bielinski, M.D., says Greater Chicago
hasn't suffered as much from an economic slowdown as some parts of the
country, and, in turn, that has been an advantage for doctors with
cosmetic practices. "We really haven't noticed any slowdown. If
anything, we're up. Chicago has a diverse economy, so it's not like
one industry or any one company has a great impact even if there is a
downturn in the financial markets.
"We have people with such diverse jobs and such diverse industry that
I think we're able to weather the storm that way. Whereas maybe a
smaller percentage of people aren't doing well, there are enough
people here who are doing just fine."
Heightened Interest
Melinda J. Woofter, M.D., Granville, Ohio, says she's actually seen an
increase in patient interest in cosmetic procedures, and credits the
economic slowdown for the upswing. "Think of it like the luxury cars.
I don't think the purchasing of that has gone down -- but the spending
on the middle- and lower-end cars has. Depending on the expendable
income, I think certain individuals continue to spend as before, while
those who have a tighter budget aren't spending."
Dr. Woofter says sometimes it's a matter of putting things into
perspective -- and she does see people wanting value for their
investment.
"I see women come in with artificial nails that they're spending $30
or $40 on every couple of weeks. If they're already doing fingernails
and hair and all of that, then they really want to have a good
appearance. So, they're willing to invest their time and their money
in it.
"I will discuss several options with my patients, and they do think
about where they want to spend their money. I don't think people are
not coming in, or that they are opting not to have procedures done,
but they are trying to make very wise choices as to what they are
going to do to get the most for their money."
Laurie J. Polis, M.D., has a large cosmetic practice as director of
the Soho Skin and Laser Dermatology in New York City. She agrees that
interest in cosmetic procedures is up because of economic downturn.
"People are not spending on luxury items like yachts and expensive
cars and homes. What they are doing is treating themselves a little
bit special to make themselves feel a little better about themselves
with smaller ticket items.
"We've noticed an increase in our spa attendance for
microdermabrasion, peels and facials. We have also noticed an increase
in people saying they didn't want to do anything big, the pocketbook
was a bit tight, but asking what they can do with less downtime, with
some of the new lasers, or a few little injections. They'll say, "I
can't spend $20,000 on a facelift right now, but I can spend the
$2,000 -- and, look, I'm saving $18,000."
Dr. Polis says that in some ways, the cosmetic treatments are
therapeutic for patients. "Everyone, certainly people in New York,
have been under stress since Sept. 11. I'm in a downtown practice, and
we lost patients, we lost staff, and as a result people are seeking
stress reduction. I'm in a multispecialty integrated health center.
For patients, coming here has both cosmetic and psychological
relaxation medical benefits."
The doctors also considered the statistics released by the ASAPS and
were surprised by the reported decreases in some procedures, but said
some of the other decreases were understandable.
Dr. Polis, an assistant professor at Mt. Sinai, says, "We are seeing
more self-care and less big ticket items. I have definitely done less
big full-face, huge procedures but more of the no downtime,
nonablative procedures, fillers and Botox."
....
"The thing about cosmetic surgery today is that it's not just for the
rich and famous anymore. Anybody can have it done, and many people who
want to have it done save many years to afford the procedure.
"I have one musician who's been saving five years to have his hair
transplant. He's not the CEO of a bank or anything. But when people
want to have something done, and they're sure about it, they usually
try to take steps to earn the dollars or save the dollars to get what
they want. Regardless of the economy, they are going to do it. It's
just a matter of their financial situation at the time. Even with the
economy and war, people have their own little private piggy bank set
aside for their hair-transplant procedure, or whatever procedure is
important to them."
=========
I am very sorry you feel that my research reflects much less than
your posted payment. (As it is, a researcher only gets 75% of the
answer price, with the remainder going to Google Answers.)
I always strive to give my customers a worthy answer for the *entire*
question price posted, and often much more. If anything, I want my
clients to be satisfied.
I trust that by clearly extracting the points out of my original
answer, you will agree that I did, in fact, answer the points in your
original question.
Sincerely,
umiat
|
