A new poll from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons finds the average cosmetic surgery patient is becoming more financially average.  In the past, cosmetic surgery was often viewed as a luxury for the rich and famous, but times are changing.

Plastic surgeons are seeing a wider range of patients, including varying age ranges and income levels.  Through financing options, patients previously unable to afford plastic surgery have been able to undergo various procedures, and some people are making other sacrifices in their life in order to afford cosmetic procedures. 

The survey polled 644 people who were considering plastic surgery within the next two years, finding nearly 30 percent reported household incomes of less than $30,000, and another 41 percent had incomes ranging between $31,000 and $60,000.  Sixteen percent reported household incomes of $61,000 to $90,000, and just 13 percent had average household incomes of more than $90,000 a year.

Conducted over the Internet, 26 percent of respondents were between the ages 18 and 29, 38 percent were between ages 30 and 49 and 36 percent were 50 and older.  The majority of respondents, 85 percent, were women, and 85 percent were also white. 

Experts believe plastic surgery patients arrive at their decision to undergo surgery after thinking it through, and after the society conducted 60 in-depth interviews with people actively considering plastic surgery, they discovered more than 40 percent had been contemplating it for awhile – often more than a year.  Most of the people said their primary motivation for wanting plastic surgery was to achieve emotional, psychological and social improvement, not because of vanity. 

If sought for the right motivations, plastic surgery has the ability to positively influence a patient's life, but a patient's safety comes first.  For more information on cosmetic surgery procedures, please contact us to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.