Plastic surgery business is booming

PORTSMOUTH — The effects of sun, time, gravity and the stresses of life can take a toll on our skin, but many are now turning back the clock.

Local plastic surgeons have seen a steady increase in patients over 40 having non-surgical facial rejuvenation to combat the effects of aging.

Dr. Mark Ballentyne of the Skin Wellness Center at Atlantic Plastic Surgery has seen a 10 to 15 percent increase in clients trying to enhance their self-esteem and confidence in the workplace. Those who are looking for a cosmetic touch-up to their face and neck are turning to facial fillers — like Restylane and Juvederm — and Botox, he said.

"Both men and women are taking better care of themselves with diet and exercise. They still feel young and want to look as good as they can for their age," said Ballentyne. "In general, people are trying to delay more of the surgical approach."

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there's been a 584 percent increase in the number of patients nationally who received Botox injections from 2000 to 2010 and a 172 percent increase in patients who received facial fillers over those 10 years.

In 2000, 786,911 people received Botox injections nationally while in 2010, that number was 5,379,360. That's an increase of 12 percent from 2009, when there were 4,795,357.

Last year, 1,773,328 people received facial fillers, up from 1,722,054 in 2009 and 652,885 in 2000.

"More and more people are getting older. Baby boomers are the largest portion of our population and they want to stay young too," said Phil Hayes, director of public relations for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "It's not that societal norms have changed and people are looking at themselves any differently, it's just that a large number of people are getting older and these things happen to be available. They are clinging to the fountain of youth."

Plastic surgery business is booming | SeacoastOnline.com