Americans Are Spending Billions Nipping and Tucking

Are Americans actually trying to keep up with the Kardashians — the celebrity family focused on looking good?

Maybe, because people are spending more than ever before in the quest to look younger and more attractive. A new report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) found that Americans spent $16 billion on cosmetic plastic surgery and minimally invasive procedures in 2016.

The most popular surgical procedures and their national average costs were:

Breast augmentation — more than 290,000 procedures at a cost of about $3,700 each;
Liposuction — about 235,000 procedures at $3,200;
Nose reshaping — 223,000 procedures at $5,000;
Tummy tuck — almost 128,000 procedures at around $5,800;
Buttock augmentation — nearly 19,000 procedures at about $4,400.

But what if you’re lacking that Kardashian cash? Are there ways you can boost your looks without emptying your wallet?

The most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedures and their national average costs were:

Wrinkle treatment injections (botulinum toxin type-A, or Botox) — 7 million procedures at a cost of $385 each,
Hyaluronic acid fillers — 2 million procedures at $644 each;
Chemical peel — 1.3 million procedures at $673 each;
Microdermabrasion — 775,000 procedures at $138 each;
Laser treatments — more than 650,000 procedures at $433 each.

The cost of most procedures went up from 2015 to 2016. The only exception was the national average cost of breast augmentation surgery. This surgery was nearly 3 percent cheaper, the report found.

Liposuction costs went up 6 percent, and nose reshaping surgery costs increased by nearly the same percentage. Botox injection costs went up less than 1 percent. Hyaluronic acid and chemical peel costs went up around 5 percent or more, the report said.

Factors that affect the cost of cosmetic surgery include the type of surgery, location of surgery, surgeon’s experience and insurance coverage. Those costs typically don’t include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses.

“Before you undergo any procedure, make sure you’re putting yourself in the hands of only the most qualified and highly trained plastic surgeons. The cost of any procedure is not nearly as important as doing your homework and selecting a surgeon whose primary focus is your safety,” ASPS President Dr. Debra Johnson said in a society news release.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on plastic and cosmetic surgery.

Source: HealthDay