He's been in the business for nearly a decade, and even Dr. Kelly Gallego, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon at Tri–State Specialists in Sioux City, hasn't seen numbers like these.
He says, "Things like dermal fillers, botox cosmetic, microdermabrasion, laser hair removal. A number just over 12 million procedures."
While more invasive–type operations like breast implants and reductions, nose jobs and facelifts went to a little over one million Americans.
It's sort of similar to last year's 10% increase in car sales. Statistics show, these higher numbers may have something to do with a lower unemployment rate.
Gallego says, "New jobs, possibly even better–paying jobs. They're able to have more disposable income on hand to purchase and to invest into things like their appearance."
Not only their appearance, Dr. Gallego says, but their career.
Believe it or not, in his experience, a lot of these procedures have to do with job security.
"More recently, our population is aging. Specifically, the baby-boomers. They are getting older and older and they're finding that they're having to work longer. And there's been much more discussion of baby-boomers saying, 'Well, hey, what can I do to look younger? I am 50, going on 60, I've got to compete with 20 and 30 year olds.'"
Whether it actually does come from cosmetic procedures, Dr. Gallego says confidence is important.
For many people, it's just becoming more accessible.
Dr. Gallego wants to stress that even if you have a little more extra money to spend these days, it doesn't necessarily mean plastic surgery is for you. He says he usually advises 3 or 4 out of 10 people to get a second opinion.
