New Year, New You?

    /24-7PressRelease/ - January 05, 2007 - It's a brand new year and time to set those New Year's Resolutions. Does that thought have you singing Auld Lang Syne or heaving great big sighs? Do you look forward to the beginning of the new year and the chance to begin again? Or do you dread the making of New Year's Resolutions that you know you won't keep longer than the end of January?

If you fall into the latter category, perhaps that's because you've been setting the wrong goals for yourself. Are your resolutions along the lines of getting and staying more organized or staying in touch more often with friends and family? Not that these aren't noble and good intentions but have you ever thought about making resolutions that will create long-lasting and possibly permanent changes in your life?

In 2005, Americans spent approximately $12 billion (yes, billion) on 11.5 million cosmetic procedures, including both surgical and non-surgical.* Obviously, looking better and feeling better about our bodies is on the minds and hearts of a lot of people. So maybe instead of saying you want to clean out the attic before summer you should look into feeling more confident in your jeans or making Father Time work a little harder to make you look older. Let's take a look at the top five surgical and non-surgical procedures in the United States, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

Top Five Cosmetic Surgical Procedures

1. Liposuction - approximately 455,000 procedures performed - used to remove excess fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.
2. Breast Augmentation - 364,000 procedures performed - Saline or silicon breast implants are used to create larger, firmer and "perkier" breast shape.
3. Blepharoplasty - eyelid surgery - 231,000 procedures performed - removes excess skin and "bags" from upper or lower lids or both.
4. Rhinoplasty - nose reshaping - 200,000 - used to reshape the nose whether it's too wide, too bulbous, has a bump or is crooked.
5. Abdominoplasty - tummy tuck - 169,000 procedures - removes excess skin and tightens abdomen after large amounts of weight loss or pregnancy.

Top Five Cosmetic Non-Surgical Procedures

1. Botox injections - 3.2 million injections - used to smooth out wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes by relaxing the muscles underneath.
2. Laser Hair Removal - 1.5 million procedures performed - permanently reduces excess and unwanted hair. This is a great procedure to consider at this time of year so that you can be ready for summer. Laser Hair Removal takes several treatments to be most effective and those treatments must be a certain amount of weeks apart because of the hair growth cycles.
3. Hyaluronic Acids (like Hylaform and Restylane) - 1.1 million - these injectables are dermal fillers for smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines. Hyaluronic acid is a natural sugar that holds onto water in the skin making the skin "plump".
4. Microdermabrasion - Just over 1 million procedures performed - crystals gently polish the skins creating smoother and brighter skin. Stimulates skin cell and collagen growth and is good for fine lines and "crow's feet".
5. Chemical peels - 556,000 - interestingly, even though this type of procedure makes the top five list, the number performed is down more than 50% from the previous year's statistics.

New Year, New You?

If past resolutions have failed or petered out before the ground thaws from winter, it's time you make resolutions you know you can keep. If there's something about your body that you've always wanted to change but haven't been able to with diet and exercise, it's time for you to call a board-certified plastic surgeon to see if liposuction can help you. Or if the lines between your eyes and your "laugh lines" bother you, make an appointment for some intensive skin care to smooth away wrinkles and start the New Year off with a New You - refreshed and rejuvenated and resolutions realized.


*All of the statistics in this article are taken from the website of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. 2005 statistics are the latest available as 2006 stats have not yet been compiled.

For more information on cosmetic surgery, please feel free to visit The Cosmetic Surgery Directory by clicking here.

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