01/05/2012 | By: Guest Contributor
There are strong signs 2012 will be the year of plastic surgery.
The economic climate of 2010 may have set back the plastic surgery industry with many people cutting back on their discretionary spending-- and cosmetic surgery was no exception.
Credit crisis even made it more difficult for plastic surgery patients to finance their surgery. While today’s slowing economy and financial crisis seem to linger a bit longer; 2012 will see significant changes in the world of cosmetic surgery.
A recent study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) predicted that the volume of plastic surgery procedures will quadruple by 2105 where almost one in five of all Americans will be having plastic surgery.
In 2012, more and more people will turn to plastic surgeons for liposuction treatments to cure serious medical conditions, such as Hyperhidrosis, a condition characterized by abnormally increased perspiration in excess.
More cost effective products are expected to make an appearance on the cosmetic surgery market to smooth out wrinkles and reverse the signs of facial aging. Puretox and Xeomin are Botox’s future competitors which can be as effective as Allergan’s Botox while offering minimal effects.
Among other benefits of Puretox and Xeomin is their quick onset of action and the presence of fewer antigens that sometimes lead to residence to the product, such as face muscle activity.
Plastic surgeons around the world are reporting more men opting for plastic surgery treatments; ranging from nose surgery, eyelid surgery and male breast reduction.
According to 2010 plastic surgery statistics of the ASPS, cosmetic surgeries among men rose to 2% from 2009 alone and more than 1.1 million cosmetic procedures 2010.
In 2012, cosmetic surgery clinics are more likely to see an increase in the number of men seeking plastic surgery with less inhibitions and reservations and a more accepting perspective of self-enhancement treatments than in recent years.
"The growth in cosmetic surgical procedures for men may be a product of our aging baby boomers who are now ready to have plastic surgery," said ASPS President Phillip Haeck in a news release.
Medical tourism industry will also have a lion’s share of revenue and international patients in 2012. According to Grail research, the medical tourism market is expected to show strong growth through 2012 driven by the increasing healthcare costs in developed countries and improving quality of care in destinations abroad.
Plastic surgery in Mexico will continue to be America’s medical tourism hub offering the best priced plastic surgery in resort towns like Cancun and Guadalajara. The large uninsured population in the US will pour in packs across the borders to medical tourism destinations like Panama, Argentina and the Dominican Republic which offer high quality medical care at a reasonable cost.
Hair transplantation in Dominican Republic enjoys a solid reputation for having the best hair restoration surgeons in the Americas.
Plastic surgery in Philippines is also catching up with the medical tourism race, evident in the recent revamp of health care establishments and cosmetic surgery technology.
Although patients from UK and Canada enjoy a much-coveted free health care system; they lack timely access to elective procedures. Many of UK patients choose Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary as an alternative to the high cost of plastic surgery in their home country.
Bulgaria has emerged as one of Europe’s most affordable and world-class destinations for plastic surgery. The improved quality of care and growth of medically-equipped cosmetic clinics in Bulgaria encouraged many patients from the UK and Western Europe to travel to Sofia for plastic surgery.
Plastic surgery Bulgaria promises 70 per cent saving on surgical treatments like breast implants, face lift and tummy tuck.
Whether the economic crisis will pack up and leave or will overstay its welcome- that remains unforeseen. One thing is for certain: 2012 is plastic surgery year. Happy New plastic surgery year!
