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Holiday Season Brings Cosmetic Industry Boom

by Marisa Amorasak

The holiday season generally correlates with family gatherings, religious traditions, and plenty of baking. It’s also a time when people tend to indulge—tropical vacations and heavy feasts are the norm from November through January. And for the aesthetically-minded, the winter months are an ideal time to get some work done. Botox, anyone?

The influx of plastic surgery over the winter is proven by statistics: Surgeons in the U.K. report that liposuction, breast augmentation, and facial plastic surgery rates regularly rise by about 50% in December. Non-surgical treatments like BOTOX® Cosmetic and Juvederm™ normally go up by 30%. Moreover, it seems as though plastic surgery in general is recession-proof: over the last few years, the demand for surgery has only become stronger. Between 2008 and 2009, non-surgical treatments went up by 20-30% and invasive treatments like facelifts and tummy tucks rose by 9%.

In the Christmas spirit, some practitioners have taken it upon themselves to offer special deals on their procedures to encourage more patients to walk through their doors. The promise of free consultations and even buy one get one free procedures can be tempting to both first-time patients and plastic surgery veterans.

Self-indulgence aside, there’s also the aspect of plastic surgery gift-giving. Breast augmentations and other surgeries are popular presents from boyfriends, husbands, and other close loved ones. Kendra Schroeder of Pasadena, California, received a new pair of breasts from her husband in 2004. The 26 year old went in for her surgery just before the holiday parties started.

"I never had breasts, and I wanted something there," said Schroeder, whose husband spent $7,000 on the procedure. "It's the most expensive Christmas gift I've ever gotten and probably always will be. I feel very loved that he was willing to do that for me."

Lengthy vacation allotments also allow for recovery time that patients might not get during the rest of the year. More invasive procedures like tummy tucks and liposuction can require a couple weeks of bedrest, making the holidays an ideal time to get the procedure done. And when a patient returns to work post-op, co-workers are more likely to pass the surgery off as a New Year’s exercise regime or plenty of rest.

Rajiv Grover, secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) explains that patients are fuelled to get plastic surgery over the holidays for various reasons, but the root cause was the extended break.

"People either want to get something done in time for Christmas or they want to use the break to hide away," said Grover. "One of my ladies, a mother of five, is having something done while her husband takes the kids away skiing. Another lady doesn't want to bump into her friends after her facial surgery, so she will have it done now and emerge all fresh-faced." Grover also said that those who work in education or finance are common patients around this time, because their work tends to stop or slow down at Christmas.

Whether it’s Christmas time or just any other old time of year, it’s vital that plastic surgery patients don’t rush into any procedure. A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area will give you the opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and find out if you’re a candidate for a procedure. Contact our representatives to book your consultation today!