Cosmetic Medicine: Not Recession-Proof
Well, so much for the idea that doctors are any more “recession-proof” than anyone else.
We’ve heard that statement a lot recently. Along with morticians, peace officers and firefighters, physicians are supposed to have some sort of “Get Out of Recession Free” card when it comes to an economic downturn, presumably because people still get sick, need therapy and so on. But we’ve already seen evidence that it’s a false idea, as hospitals are losing money and some are threatened with closure. So it should come as no surprise that cosmetic surgeons are seeing a downturn in their business.
After all, people are already delaying treatment and skipping medication for serious health problems because they lack health insurance or can’t afford the co-pays, so it’s hardly a shock that more are passing altogether on elective procedures. That’s what the Chicago-based American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery says is happening. In a survey of 242 members released on January 14, the Academy revealed that nearly 80% of cosmetic surgery practices had reported a drop in business, with the average being a whopping 50% reduction in the third quarter of 2008.
The Economic Impact Survey also showed that more and more patients are choosing cheaper, less-invasive procedures than when the economy was strong and they felt flush. In fact, since all cosmetic surgeons have to train in another specialty before going into cosmetic medicine, the survey found that about one-third are going back to former areas of training such as general surgery, ear/nose/throat or obstetrics & gynecology in order to make a living during these tough times. Those who don’t want to go that route are shoring up their practices with cosmetic procedures that are more commonly done by a dermatologist: fillers, Botox, liposuction, chemical peels and microdermabrasion.
In fact, these non-invasive or minimally-invasive options are just about the only cosmetic procedures that are becoming more common, with reports coming in that the rates of Botox injections are actually up around the country. What does this say about us as a people, especially since just a few posts ago we reported that people are still spending on beauty products such as cosmetics and skin care products? Well, it’s obvious that there’s an inverse relationship between the cost of the procedure and the willingness to have it done. A $30 jar of moisturizer is fine, but $2,000 for an eyelid lift…that’s going to have to wait until the stock market goes back up.
Clearly, we still are willing to spend money and invest in our looks. It remains a priority for the same reason we discussed in that last post: because it gives us control over some aspect of things when it seems like everything else is spinning so out of control. But we are becoming more luxury-conscious, and there’s a self-imposed “frugality line” that we won’t cross. Hard economic times cause most of us to “reboot” our priorities and take a hard look at what is worth paying for and what must be put off, and the answer is different for everyone. For some women, getting a regular microdermabrasion treatment in her dermatologist’s office will remain a priority even if she can’t afford a new pair of shoes; for another, she’ll make her own facial scrub with kitchen ingredients or do without.
Our theory is, the more your outer beauty is a critical aspect of your self-image and the more your self-esteem depends on it, the more willing you will be to spend money you might not have on cosmetic treatments. The more comfortable you are with yourself on the inside, the more likely you’ll probably be to go back to basics until things turn around. Inner beauty, thank goodness, tends to be free. As the economic situation plays out, we’ll see if our theory is correct.
Stay beautiful,
Debi & Eva
Tags: Botox, cosmetic surgery, dermatology, economy, recession
July 13th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Care for skin should not only be done with skin care products. You want to care for skin by making sure that you eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. Getting exercise on a regular basis and plenty of rest will also help in your quest for healthy skin. You just have to remember that it is imperative that you are committed to a skin care treatment because you won