Nothing to Hide
More Americans Are Willing to Own Up to "Getting Work Done"

When Daniela, a 60-year-old New Yorker, decided to combat the marks of aging with a facelift, she thought nothing of trumpeting the news to her friends and colleagues.

"I wasn't going to keep it hush-hush," says the grandmother of three. "When people compliment me about how young and fresh I look, I tell them I had a little nip and a tuck."

Like Daniela, more and more Americans who go in for plastic surgery procedures are figuring there's nothing to hide.

Study Released February 2006
In fact, a new survey released in February 2006 by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) found that:

• 82 percent of women
• 79 percent of men

….were perfectly willing to tell non-family members that they'd had work done.

Apparently, the stigma that used to be attached to surgical rejuvenation is disappearing from American society.

Youngest Are Most Accepting
The study went on to point out that:

• Of all age groups, 18-24-year-olds showed the greatest acceptance
• In the 55-64 age group, 61% approved of plastic surgery
• Women in the 55-64 age range were more open about it than men

Husbands Sometimes Object
"My husband was hesitant at first when I decided to go in for breast augmentation," says Sarah Marshall, a 24-year-old schoolteacher in California.

Her experience is common. Husbands are reported to be more concerned with safety issues and health repercussions than wives. But once the surgery is done, they usually change their opinions.

"At first he didn't understand why it was so important for my self-esteem," continues Sarah, "but after the surgery he became a convert."

Marital Status Not a Factor
The ASAPS survey found that marital status has little effect on people's decision to go in for plastic surgery.

• 25 percent of married people
• 28 percent of unmarried people

….would be willing to undergo plastic surgery for cosmetic improvement, according to the survey.

Numbers Don't Lie

• Since 1997, the total number of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures in the U.S. has increased by 222 percent.
• Last year, 11.5 million cosmetic procedures were performed on American patients.
• The average income of cosmetic surgery patients is now less than $60,000.

Given these figures, and the fact that younger Americans have started using of plastic surgery as a normal part of the quest for rejuvenation and enhancement, it's safe to assume that we're undergoing a major shift.

In the Mainstream
Look for even more mainstreaming of plastic surgery in the future. Now that the beauty business has opened the doors to medical intervention, there's no turning back.

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