As the U.S. economy shows signs of improvement, so are nips, tucks and lifts. According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 13.1 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, including those that are minimally-invasive or surgical, were performed in the United States in 2010, up 5 percent from 2009.

“The economy is showing signs of improvement and, financially, things are a little better for people this year,” said ASPS President Phillip Haeck, MD. “The financial markets are at a two year high, we’re seeing a double digit increase in the percentage of auto sales over a year ago, and as the aging population continues to grow, people are investing in plastic surgery procedures to help stay competitive in the workplace. The growth in cosmetic plastic surgery procedures is multi-factorial.”

Cosmetic surgical procedures increased 2 percent, with nearly 1.6 million procedures in 2010. The top five surgical procedures were:

• Breast augmentation (296,000)
• Nose reshaping (252,000)
• Eyelid surgery (209,000)
• Liposuction (203,000)
• Tummy tuck (116,000)

“There’s some pent up demand for cosmetic surgical procedures,” said Dr. Haeck. “People have waited a couple of years or more to have procedures, until their finances were at least somewhat back in order. But, all indications are, more consumers are again willing to spend more to look better.”

To view the 2010 National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Statistics report, visit plasticsurgery.org. Visitors can also find information about procedures and referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons.