Despite a still shaky economy, the number of men getting plastic surgery is on the rise, according to numbers released Monday by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
One factor that might be fueling the growth: Older men trying to hold onto their jobs.
"I hear it from my patients, men in their 50s ... they are confessing to me they need it to stay competitive in the workplace," said Dr. Phil Haeck, a Seattle plastic surgeon and president of the group that released the study. "In a recession economy, the pressure is on doubly to look younger."
Haeck said the trend he has observed is reflected in the statistics released by his organization: The number of men getting facelifts surged 14 percent in 2010 compared with 2009, Botox usage increased 9 percent and liposuction rose 7 percent.
The increasing number of plastic surgeries could serve as an economic bellwether. More than 5 million reconstructive plastic surgery procedures were performed last year, up 2 percent. The increase mirrors the rise in consumer confidence throughout most of 2010.
"There's some pent-up demand for cosmetic surgical procedures," Haeck said. "People have waited a couple of years or more to have procedures, until their finances were at least somewhat back in order."
The top cosmetic surgical procedures conducted on men in 2010:
- Nose reshaping: 64,000
- Eyelid Surgery: 31,000
- Liposuction: 24,000
- Breast reduction: 18,000
- Hair transplantation: 13,000
The top minimally invasive cosmetic procedures for men:
- Botox: 337,000
- Laser hair removal: 165,000
- Microdermabrasion: 158,000
- Chemical peel: 90,000
- Soft-tissue fillers: 78,000