Minorities Going Under Plastic Surgeon's Knife

CHICAGO – In a survey released by the American Academy of

Cosmetic Surgery, more than half of respondents said they think the popularity of

cosmetic surgery has grown among members of their racial/ethnic group in the last five

years.

Among racial/ethnic groups, Asians reported that cosmetic surgery is most popular (31.4

percent of respondents). They were followed by Hispanics (27.4 percent) and African-

Americans (18.8 percent) in cosmetic surgery popularity. About one quarter of

respondents surveyed indicated they knew someone of the same racial/ethnic background

who has gotten cosmetic surgery.

“Cosmetic surgery is en vogue no matter who you are,” said Mark Berman, MD,

President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. “Feeling better about yourself

and making improvements to your looks is thankfully not limited to a specific race or

culture.”

For invasive cosmetic surgery procedures, the most common surgery for Asian

respondents is a facelift. Among black respondents, the top procedure is liposuction. And

for Hispanic respondents, the most popular procedure is abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

More than 30 percent of respondents said they would seek out a cosmetic surgeon of the

same race/ethnicity as themselves. And over half of respondents (56.6 percent) said it

would be difficult to find a surgeon of the same race/ethnicity as themselves.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is a professional medical society whose members are

dedicated to patient safety and physician education in cosmetic surgery. Most members of the AACS are

dermatologic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, head and neck surgeons, general surgeons, oral and

maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons – all of whom specialize in cosmetic surgery. AACS is an

organization that represents all cosmetic surgeons in the American Medical Association through its seat in

the AMA House of Delegates

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