The Economy and Plastic Surgery

The number of Americans having plastic surgery is growing as the economy improves.  Could increased plastic surgery procedures be a sign of better economic times?

Due to the challenging economy the past few years (lowest point in 2008), some plastic surgeons had to close their offices completely or move in with other surgeons to help with overhead costs.  San Diego Plastic Surgeon Dr. Tom Pousti has been in private practice for over 14 years and therefore has a solid foundation of patients who are referring their friends and family members to keep the practice going.

San Diego Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Tom Pousti is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and according to that Society, cosmetic procedures (both surgical and minimally-invasive procedures) rose 5% in 2010 vs. 2009 and also increasing in 2011.  People have gotten through the tough dip, and are feeling more confident in the economy and their own personal stability.  We are seeing that confidence in our practice and at Pousti Plastic Surgery, the most common procedure still is the breast augmentation procedure.

Financing Companies have always played a vital role in patient’s being able to afford “elective, cosmetic surgery” and with the turning of the economy, these financing companies are also getting more strict on their approval process.  The patients wanting breast augmentation surgery are usually a younger demographic and those patients are having a harder time getting credit from financing companies for their plastic surgery procedures.

Pousti Plastic Surgery is located in San Diego, California – in close proximity to the military bases and we have seen more military families having plastic surgery procedures such as liposuction, mommy makeovers and breast augmentation.  Dr. Pousti wants to thank the military families for all of their sacrifice for our country and offers a 20% reduction in the surgeon’s fee for all procedures.

During these times, it is wise to research your plastic surgeon for proper credentials and safe surgical practices.  We warn that some doctors offering procedures for prices significantly lower then their local competitors could be a red flag that the doctor may not have the proper credentials.  There are overhead expenses for procedures to be performed properly and safely so cutting corners is not a safe thing to do. Since patients pay for cosmetic procedures out of their own pockets, the physicians don't have to deal with stingy insurance companies.

Plastic surgeons aren't the only physicians doing cosmetic work. In recent years, an increasing number of other physician specialists, such as dermatologists, oral surgeons -- even dentists -- have reinvented themselves as purveyors of cosmetic procedures.