A new decade is upon us. It is interesting to look back at some of the changes that occurred over the past ten years and look to the bright future ahead. Especially here in sunny Sacramento California with so much abundance. Some of the bigger changes in plastic surgery and cosmetics in general started with the advent of Botox, Dysport, Restylane, Juvederm and other fillers. Overnight plastic surgery’s name changed to plastics (dropping the surgery part and more often called aesthetics or cosmetics). Without requiring the operating room more people felt comfortable trying treatments such as laser hair removal, laser skin tightening, and skin enhancing lasers. Breast implants became more commonly silicone gels as the FDA approved the safety of the devices and breast enhancement became even more popular.
Plastic surgery becomes reality television. New shows reveal the exciting transformations of many happy people right in your own home. Shows such as the Swan, Extreme Makeover, The Doctors, Doctor 90210, Miami Slice and of course the often closer to reality than comfortable, Nip Tuck. Cosmetic plastic surgery became accessible to more than just the rich and famous as increasingly physician’s were able to make the procedures more affordable and convenient by keeping them safe and in their own offices as opposed to expensive and inconvenient in the hospitals. Credit cards and financing of medical treatments became common as did medical savings accounts and cash towards the end of the decade. Social media and the internet became new avenues to help educate patients about the benefits of plastic surgery and the exciting stories of before and after plastic surgery flooded our imaginations. Medical tourism and health care changes continued through the decade and political changes as well as economic changes marked the end of the decade.
What will the next ten years give us? Cosmetic plastic surgery will continue to expand and improve becoming more comfortable, affordable and convenient. We look forward to an exciting time for our county and world. With a new health care system being debated, a war in Afghanistan and an economic recession currently one thing stands out – it won’t be the same. The end of the Great generation, Baby Boomers retiring and the new Xs and Ys becoming the new earners and spenders we will certainly change our neighborhoods and work places. Our wish is that we all continue to be blessed with hopefulness, purpose, health and happiness.
