SEATTLE, November 12, 2009 – Considering a nip or tuck or tempering worry lines and want to know if others were satisfied with their own results?  Curious which treatments are actually worth the price tag? RealSelf.com uncovers consumer opinions about the most popular elective cosmetic treatments and plastic surgeries and, using the site’s exclusive Worth It Index, providing unique insight into whether or not the results justify the cost.    

RealSelf.com is a free community of consumers and board-certified doctors that offers first-hand accounts and information on more than 300 elective cosmetic treatments, everything from Botox and Breast Implants to Latisse eyelash lengthener and Liposuction and more. With the RealSelf Worth It Index, anyone contemplating a cosmetic procedure can get free access to reviews and ratings based on input from approximately 10,000 men and women who have undergone particular cosmetic treatments and answered the simple question, “Was it worth it?”  The Index rates treatments from 1-100 (lowest to highest), and the top 20 rated treatments on RealSelf.com are:

“We’ve found that people are generally satisfied with the results of their cosmetic treatment, with 62 percent of RealSelf members reporting their procedure as 'worth it',” said Tom Seery, founder and CEO, RealSelf.com. “Our data reveals that the most popular treatments aren’t necessarily the most effective by patient standards. The transparency offered by real-world experiences and ratings helps anyone considering a cosmetic change deepen their understanding of the options and alternatives.”

Most Effective Treatments by Body Area

For those interested in changing the appearance of a particular area of the body or addressing "trouble spots," RealSelf.com makes it easy to compare a variety of services that range from surgical procedures to non-invasive options that can vary widely in results and cost. Some of the most common body concerns include:

·          Breasts: Breast implants have the most ratings of any procedure on RealSelf (and a high Worth It rating of 77%), but women who have taken their girls down a notch with a breast reduction have a higher rate of satisfaction (82% Worth It Index).

·          Face: Anti-wrinkle treatments like Botox and Restylane have a high number of reviews, but reported results and Worth It rating is just slightly above average for each treatment (64% and 57%). When it comes to addressing the aging face, it seems like nothing beats the old fashioned facelift, which has the highest Worth It index for facial procedures with 82%. Interestingly, branded procedures, like Lifestyle Lift and Thermage, rank the lowest with respective Worth It Ratings of just 29% and 38%.

·          Lower Body: Most forms of fat removal are rated relatively high, from laser liposuction (Smart lipo at 70%) and liposuction surgery at 61%. Tummy Tuck is also a highly rated and reviewed procedure (84% Worth It rating).

·          Eyes: Latisse eyelash lengthener is the new kid on the block, and it has quickly become the favored treatment for those looking to give their eyes a new look. But seeing is important too, as the significant majority of RealSelf users are satisfied with the results of vision correction – Lasik has an 81% rating. Getting an eyelift with eyelid surgery (Blepharoplasty) comes in at 65%.

·          Smile: Adult braces appear to have come a long way with Invisalign – it’s considered relatively painless and moderately priced, and gets a Worth It rating of 80%. While people are always looking to whiten their smile, popular treatments like Brite Smile and Zoom have Index ratings below 50% (45% and 43%).

On RealSelf.com these first-hand accounts are presented alongside opinions from board-certified doctors, giving consumers a more complete picture of the financial, emotional and physical impact undergoing any type of cosmetic change.

“Research is vital for those evaluating cosmetic treatments – unlike reviews of a restaurant or a hotel, there is little room for error when it comes to your body,” continued Seery. “Doing your homework, including discussing the procedure with a doctor, reviewing all materials related to cost and recovery, and getting a personal account from someone who has gone through it, makes a tremendous impact on the initial decision making and ultimately the overall success and satisfaction with the treatment.”

About RealSelf.com

RealSelf.com is an unbiased resource to find and share information about cosmetic treatments. RealSelf.com helps consumer make the right decisions for treatments ranging from Botox (http://www.realself.com/Botox/reviews) to liposuction (http://www.realself.com/Liposuction/reviews) to laser hair removal (http://www.realself.com/Laser-hair-removal/reviews). The privately-held company is based in Seattle. For more information, visit www.RealSelf.com.