Santa is leaving attractive gifts in some Arizona stockings this season: rhinoplasties, breast implants, tummy tucks and facelifts, just to name a few. Plastic surgery procedures and cosmetic treatments are topping holiday lists, making this a busy time not just for Old Saint Nick but for local plastic surgeons. This year, both men and women are splurging on plastic surgery procedures for themselves as part of their holiday shopping.
“Many people use the holiday season as a time to treat themselves to a procedure for several reasons,” said Dr. Daniel Shapiro, a Scottsdale-based Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with Shapiro Plastic Surgery and Skin Klinic. “End-of-year bonuses, paid time off, unused vacation time, and a desire to do something for themselves all motivate people to have plastic surgery around the holidays,” he said. Dr. Shapiro says the trend towards splurging on surgery isn’t just for women, more men are asking Santa for nips and tucks and purchasing surgery and skin care vouchers as gifts.
Shelsi Guthrie is a patient of Shapiro Plastic Surgery and Skin Klinic who treated herself to a rhinoplasty this Christmas season. She opted for the procedure early in December so that she could debut her new look at family gatherings and on New Years. “Having my nose done is something I dreamed about doing for myself for years,” Guthrie said. “This year, I made giving myself this gift a priority and had the procedure done,” she said.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 14.6 million plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States 2012 with the most popular procedures being Breast Augmentation, Nose Reshaping, Eyelid Surgery, Liposuction and Facelifts. More than 30% of the plastic surgery procedures preformed in the United States last year were performed in the Western Region of the country, an area that includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, California and Hawaii. According to the Society’s annual report, Americans spent about $11 billion on plastic surgery procedures last year.
More people will find gift certificates for plastic surgery, Botox and skincare under the tree this year, too. “People are asking their significant others, friends and even parents for cosmetically-oriented gifts,” Dr. Shapiro said. “Who wants another pair of socks when you can ask for Botox injections and look your best?” he said.
One thing is to be certain before purchasing a plastic surgery gift certificate for a gift, Dr. Shapiro says. “Only purchase a plastic surgery or Botox gift certificate for someone else if they ask for it,” he says. “What might be intended as a kind and geneous gift could be misconstrued by someone who doesn’t feel they need the procedure,” he says.
“If someone close to you wants a plastic surgery procedure or Botox, they’ll tell you,” he said.
