Necessity is the Mother of The Band Aid Facelift: How Has the Economy Changed Plastic Surgery?
This week, CNN Money released an article entitled “Doctors Going Broke.” Author Parija Kavilanz told the stories of several physicians forced to take on second jobs and sometimes close the doors of their private practices due to overwhelming bills. The article attributes the trend not just to a down economy and patients’ debts, but also crippling reductions in Medicare and insurance reimbursements.
For Atlanta plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr. John LeRoy, the financial concerns of prospective patients haven’t gone unnoticed. Dr. LeRoy shares, “When I invented the Band Aid Facelift in 1997, it was the easy way to correct fine lines and wrinkles in middle aged patients who just weren’t in need of the enhancements from a traditional, full-facelift. Through Band Aid Facelift surgery, I could reduce a patient’s appearance by as much as ten years in-office with gentle numbing.
With the economy as it’s been the last several years, the Band Aid Facelift and subsequent Band Aid procedures (i.e., Band Aid Brow Lift, Band Aid Blepharoplasty, Band Aid Tummy Tuck, Band Aid Liposuction, and Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing) have become the solution for those patients who simply can’t take a span of time off from work to recover from surgery under general anesthesia. Additionally, minimally invasive facial rejuvenation has become a tool for more mature individuals to rejuvenate their look and remain in the work force longer by better competing with younger candidates for the limited number of job openings.”
LeRoy’s observation of the American trend toward minimally invasive cosmetic enhancement is supported by American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery statistics; during 2010, 83% of the 9.3 million cosmetic procedures performed were non-surgical in nature (e.g., dermal injectables, laser skin resurfacing, or chemical peels, among others).
Even though the demand for these mini cosmetic procedures and the allure of their smaller price tag is great, Dr. LeRoy stresses to patients the continued need to thoroughly research any prospective plastic surgeon before your procedure. LeRoy concludes saying, “Economies boom and bust. Because there is business involved in medicine, it’s natural that elective surgeries would follow suit; however, plastic surgery results are forever and it is imperative that patients remember to do their research and not deemphasize the value of physician experience.”
To learn more about the mini, Band Aid Procedures Dr. LeRoy performs visit his website and continue to read his blog. You can connect with Dr. LeRoy on Facebook and Twitter to share your comments to this and other posts.
