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March 29 2003
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Why Did U.S. Have 7 Million Cosmetic Procedures Last Year?

 

Close to 6.9 million cosmetic procedures, both surgical and nonsurgical, were conducted in the United States in 2002. This is an increase of one percent for surgical procedures and 23 percent for nonsurgical procedures as compared to 2001.

The increasing trend is not new, however, as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reports that the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased some 228 percent since 1997.

Surgical procedures made up 23.5 percent of all cosmetic procedures. The most significant increases in this category for 2002, as compared to 2001, were abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), which rose 17 percent; breast augmentation, a 15 percent increase; breast reduction, up nine percent; facelift, a six percent increase; and breast lift, which rose four percent.

Nonsurgical procedures accounted for 76.5 percent of the total. Popular nonsurgical procedures such as BOTOX®, collagen injections and microdermabrasion must be repeated on a regular basis, which is likely why the number of nonsurgical procedures outweighs that of surgical procedures.

In 2002 the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure was lipoplasty (liposuction), followed by breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) and breast reduction.

Six new surgical procedures were also added during 2002, including umbilicoplasty (belly button enhancement) and breast nipple enlargement. However, these trends are reportedly listed as trends by the media, and the actual number performed is very small.

The most common nonsurgical procedure in 2002 was botulinum toxin injection (BOTOX®), followed by microdermabrasion, collagen injection, laser hair removal and chemical peel. BOTOX® injection reportedly increased some 2,400 percent since 1997.

According to the survey, people between the ages of 35 and 50 years received the most cosmetic procedures, with women receiving more of them than men.

Researchers sent out more than 14,000 questionnaires for the survey, which compiled data for procedures performed from 1997 to 2002.

Yahoo Finance March 4, 2003



Dr. Mercola Dr. Mercola's Comments:

It's a pity that our culture is so into the quick fix. It is very rare when the rigid application of basic natural therapies isn't sufficient to eliminate the need for these types of surgical interventions.

One of the reasons I started vegetable juicing is that I would see 75-year-old women in my practice who looked like they were 40 years old and had virtually no facial wrinkles. Most of them were doing large amounts of juicing and led healthy lifestyles.

This impressed me quite a bit, so much so that I started daily vegetable juicing. With my new understanding of Metabolic Typing though, which revealed that I am a strong protein type, I have reduced my daily juice from one quart to 12 ounces and only juice celery and spinach, as they are appropriate for my nutritional type.

If you don't already have a juicer please don't delay. Juicing is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. The sooner you get your juicer the sooner you will be able to increase your energy and start feeling terrific with all the living raw energy that vegetables can provide you. Check out the juicer comparison table for the most highly rated juicer!

In addition, an alternative to juicing (while still reaping the benefits) is the Whey Healthier Protein Shake - it is your next best option to vegetable juicing in terms of providing you total nutrition.

However the key is to obtain plenty of raw foods so that your body can obtain the basic ingredients it requires to maintain high levels of wellness.

Raw dairy is another classic example. One of the major reasons we have had such a dramatic increase in tooth decay is because of pasteurized milk. Refined sugars and grains also greatly accelerate the process.

So consuming large quantities of raw goods, vegetables, fat and protein, are one of the central keys to avoiding the surgeon's knife and regaining the lost beauty of youth.

The other key is regular exercise, though not in excess, as excessive exercise can also cause wrinkles.

A good night's sleep and properly addressing emotional stresses are additional keys to regaining your optimum physical appearance. One of the best ways to address emotional challenges, which can also lead to insomnia, is with psychological acupressure techniques like EFT. For more information about EFT you can review my free EFT report.

It is important to recognize that my EFT manual is not meant to provide a comprehensive treatment program, but merely serve as an introduction to EFT. If you have some serious issues it is strongly recommended that you find an EFT professional to help you. Gary Craig has a list of EFT Practitioner Referrals from the U.S. and the world. Many of these therapists even offer a free 15-minute phone session in which you can ask them questions to see if you connect.

Related Articles:

Vegetables Prevent Wrinkles

Waging War on Wrinkles: Techniques for Turning Back the

Stress Can Cause Your Face to Have More Wrinkles

Heavy Exercise and Smoking Cause Skin Wrinkles

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Community Comments ( 2 )
Comment on this Article
  
  
PaulBoy
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on November 25, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

I follow a pretty strict diet, but I love the sun, it puts me in such a good mood. I would never really wear sunscreen because I wouldn't burn. I would go to the tanning salon in the winters too.  I'm only 28 and I already am starting to get deep wrinkles on my forehead. What can I do to get rid of that, in addition to staying out of the Sun?

 [ Reply ]
  
  
saturnruler
[ Joined on 11/07 ] [ Posted on September 18, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

It is improper to label all cosmetic surgery procedures as a quick fix.  Just ask the kid who has a functioning, normal looking lip when he was born w/a harelip.

There are some things juicing & exercise won't do.  I've been exercising daily for nearly 20 years, now use a vitamix & eat at least  50% raw.  Was I careful about sun (over) exposure in my 20s? No, cuz I could get nearly black & never burn.  Like most "invincible" youth, wrinkles & discoloration wouldn't happen to me!

Quite simply, there are some things juicing or clean living cannot change.  Like a broken nose which was repaired beautifully w/rhinoplasty.  Trust me I know.  It's all a mattter of balance & proper perspective.

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