Every year, the United States performs millions of elective cosmetic plastic surgeries. Since so many procedures are performed, the majority of patients must be normal people. The media and marketing have played a major role in bringing plastic surgery to the everyday American lifestyle. But, it is also due to the positive outcomes and minimal complications that so many people are pursuing this procedure. An article in a recent magazine described the experiences of five ordinary people who had plastic surgery. The article’s underlying theme was that today, plastic surgery is more commonly done on ordinary Americans.

It was refreshing to read this article because it featured positive stories. It is rare that articles focus on patient problems or complications. What I found most moving was the underlying message of the article. It is possible that the high number of plastic surgery procedures performed today are due to ….the fact that the average plastic surgery patient is a reflection of society. The wealthy and famous are a very small part of society. The millions of plastic surgeries performed today cannot be accounted by a relatively small portion of society. In the last 20 years, plastic surgery has made its way to the mainstream and is now as common in American culture and society as Starbucks, MySpace, and cell phones. In my practice, the typical plastic surgery patient is a person who fits into the middle class of society. This can range from an unemployed individual to a CEO. Nearly 40 percent of my patients are now using financing for major surgeries, which reinforces the notion that the ‘average patient’ has plastic surgery. The number of patients using financing is approaching the numbers of major appliances or large home purchases.

You might ask why …..why so many people have plastic surgery today. Is the media, the surgeons’ marketing, or our society making us believe that we must look better, younger, through their projected pictures, to be responsible? There is a bigger reason, though. My practice has shown that the majority of plastic surgery procedures are effective and do what they promise. Facelifts tighten the jawline and neck, breast implants increase size and shape, and noses improve in appearance. Plastic surgeons, and the procedures they perform, are not perfect. Not all patients get the perfect result, and there are some complications. Yes, sometimes plastic surgery procedures can be overhyped. The majority of palstic patients are very satisfied with the results. They would repeat the procedure again. Some refer to this as achievement feedback. This is why I now perform nearly 1/3 of all my plastic surgery procedures on returning customers every year. These positive experiences directly promote plastic surgeries, since a patient who is satisfied will be more inclined to seek another procedure or to tell a close friend. They may even decide to undergo plastic surgery themselves. Word of mouth referrals have a huge impact on every industry.

Plastic surgery will continue to benefit real people. Plastic surgery is a wide-ranging procedure that has many benefits. It will continue being more popular, as it can be used by all members of society, whether they are a child with a cleft or if they are aging sales representatives who want to look better. Plastic surgery is promoted because of its high level of patient satisfaction and effectiveness. It also has a lot to do with marketing.