NEW YORK - Amid the economic woes of 2002, women considering facial plastic surgery pinched their pennies while men splurged, often on procedures that sent them back to the office the next day as a better looking employee, according to a national survey released today by the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons (AAFPRS).

"Men and women responded differently to the economic downturn, with women holding off on personal improvement and men choosing to invest in themselves, possibly to increase job security," said Dr. Dean M. Toriumi, president of the AAFPRS, which surveyed its member doctors.

Men flocked to non-surgical procedures that require a shorter recovery time, which often means more immediate results and a return to work the following day. They went to their doctor's office to soften deep wrinkles (497 percent increase in fat injections), to eliminate their frown (88 percent increase in BOTOX® injections) and to smooth their skin (79 percent increase in microdermabrasion and 13 percent increase in laser resurfacing), the AAFPRS survey showed. Men who visited the facial plastic surgeon to buff their image were typically age 40 to 59.

Among both men and women, the fastest growing procedure compared to the previous year was rhinoplasty or nose jobs (47 percent increase for men; 5 percent increase for women), according to the AAFPRS survey.

Nearly half of patients (57 percent of women and 44 percent of men) tell their surgeons that looking younger is the reason they undergo facial cosmetic surgery. Men are more likely than women (25 percent vs. 10 percent) to say they want facial cosmetic surgery for work-related reasons.

Newest Trends in Plastic Surgery: Couples, Mom/Daughter Team, and Gifts
Despite their differences, men and women are finding some common ground when it comes to facial plastic surgery. The newest look of love is the sight of couples undergoing treatment together in the past year, according to 36 percent of the surgeons surveyed. Even familial love is changing the makeup of the facial plastic surgeons waiting rooms, now that mother/daughter teams are seeing the doctor together, according to 25 percent of MDs responding to the AAFPRS survey.

Finally, another trend that is gaining momentum is giving facial plastic surgery as a gift. Some 31 percent of respondents in the AAFPRS survey said they have seen patients who received the surgery as a present.

Questionnaires were completed by board-certified members of AAFPRS from January 20 - March 3, 2003. Results were tabulated by International Communications Research (ICR) in Media, Pa.

The AAFPRS is the world's largest association of facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons with more than 2,600 members - whose cosmetic and reconstructive surgery focuses on the face, head and neck. Academy fellows are board-certified and subscribe to a code of ethics. In addition, the AAFPRS provides consumers with free information and brochures and a list of qualified facial plastic surgeons in their area by calling 1-800-332-FACE or by visiting the AAFPRS Web site, www.FACEMD.org.