Cosmetic Surgery Becoming More Popular Among Minorities

A new survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery reveals that more than half of the respondents think the popularity of cosmetic surgery has grown among members of their racial/ethnic group in the last five years.

Among ethnic groups, cosmetic surgery is most popular among Asians (31.4 percent of respondents), followed by Hispanics (27.4) and African-Americans (18.8). About 25 percent of those surveyed said they knew someone of the same racial/ethnic background who has had cosmetic surgery.

For invasive procedures, the survey found the most popular procedures were:

• Facelift for Asian respondents
• Tummy tuck for Hispanic respondents
• Liposuction for  African-American respondents

While more than 30 percent of those surveyed said they would seek out a cosmetic surgeon of the same race/ethnicity as themselves, over half (56.6 percent) said they thought it would be difficult to find a surgeon of the same race/ethnicity.

The survey indicates that minority cultures are becoming more comfortable with cosmetic procedures. “Cosmetic surgery is en vogue no matter who you are,” said Mark Berman, MD, President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. “Feeling better about yourself and making improvements to your looks is thankfully not limited to a specific race or culture.”

Minority respondents were also asked to identify reasons that would affect their decision to have cosmetic surgery. “Cost” was the reason mostly likely to affect Hispanics’ decision to have surgery, while Asians were more likely to select “stigma” or “not interested” as a reason. African-Americans were more likely to select “don’t need it” as a reason.

To read the survey release, visit cosmeticsurgery.org. Dr. Branman is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and performs cosmetic procedures in his Little Rock, Arkansas office.