Ten years ago many African Americans rejected the idea of plastic surgery. Some feared that changing their physical characteristics would result in a loss of ethnic identity. Others were concerned about keloid scars (scars that raise and spread). However, in the last several years, that attitude has changed.

Plastic surgery procedures for African Americans have doubled in the last five years. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 685,725 cosmetic surgery procedures were performed on African Americans in 2005.

Plastic surgery experts contribute the change to a number of factors. Plastic surgery has improved, become more targeted, and less invasive. Furthermore, recovery time and costs have decreased in the last few years.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and host of Discovery Health Channel's “Plastic Surgery: Before and After” Dr. Jan Adams believes that the idea of beauty has also changed.

According to Adams, more and more ethnic people realize now that desirable noses and other special physical traits come in many shapes. “You can keep a nose's character while making it more refined,” he said.

Plastic surgeons are seeing many more African American patients that are seeking cosmetic help. “Liposuction is probably the most performed surgery across the board,” Adams said.

Other popular cosmetic surgery procedures among African Americans are tummy tucks, breast augmentation, lip augmentation, rhinoplasty (nose job), and permanent hair removal.

Plastic surgery nurse Veronica Sanders believes there's nothing wrong with improving on ethnicity. “If you have a hump on your nose, and it has bothered you for years, why not make it as beautiful as you can—without making you into someone else,” she said.