While it might be expected that fewer people would opt for cosmetic surgery during an economic downturn, experts from the US are actually seeing more women going under the knife.
Plastic surgeon Allan Parungao revealed that he had observed a sharp increase in the number of ‘baby boomers’ opting for liposuction and tummy tucks since the economy began to slow.
In contest, he reported that fewer people were coming in for breast augmentation, leading him to conclude that "younger people seem to be hurt more by the economy".
The surgeon explained: "I’ve actually seen an increase in liposuction done in combination with a tummy tuck – part of what has become known as a Mommy Makeover.
"Boomers seem more economically resilient. They tend to have more savings than younger people, so they have some reserves when the economy goes south."
One of Dr Parungao’s patients, 44-year-old Roberta, said that she had been saving for a long time to afford the tummy tuck and was not going to let concerns about the economy stop her.
"I’d been saving for two years. I have a son in college and another one starting soon. I thought, ‘If I don’t get the plastic surgery done now, I don’t know when I will’," she explained.
"I should have done it ten years ago! I feel younger and I can wear hip-huggers and nicer-looking clothes. Now I’m really proud of my body."
‘Baby boomers’ still opting for liposuction as economy slows
July 17, 2008