[:en]

What economic downturn? According to the latest figures, the rate of plastic surgery procedures is not only back on the upswing, but the surgeries are becoming increasingly popular among men.

According to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), men underwent 1.1 million plastic surgery procedures in 2010, an average 2% increase over the previous years. That might not sound like a huge uptick, but the increases in popularity of certain procedures were in the double digits.

Among men, facelifts saw the biggest gains, with a 14% increase, largely among men in their 50s and 60s. Other procedures that men received more frequently: ear surgery, which increased by 11%; soft tissue fillers like Juvederm and Botox, which increased by 10% and 9%, respectively; and liposuction (7% increase) and breast reduction (6% increase). Eyelid surgery and dermabrasion also enjoyed 4% increases each.

The rate of some other procedures declined, but still remained among the most popular for men: nose reshaping, chemical peel and microdermabrasion.

“The growth in cosmetic surgical procedures for men may be a product of our aging baby boomers who are now ready to have plastic surgery,” said ASPS President Phillip Haeck in a statement. “Minimally invasive procedures such as Botox and soft tissue fillers work to a point. However, as you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin are necessary in order to show significant improvement.”

Although more and more men are getting cosmetic surgeries, women still make up the majority of patients.

[:]