"Cosmetic Surgery Times" reports that The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) predicts that the year 2001 will reveal new trends and innovations in Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. Among the most important new
advances will be the shortening of surgery time both in the operating room and postoperative recuperation. The key issue here is that surgery itself is traumatic: if swelling from surgery is minimized then recovery will be
speedy and much less uncomfortable for patients. Minimally invasive procedures that require little "down time" as opposed to major overhauls will become more appealing to aging baby boomers who have busy work schedules and
more organized leisure activities.
The Society also predicts that anti-aging will become the buzzword of the decade. Anti-aging includes everything from plastic surgery to chemical intervention, hormone replacement and vitamin therapy, nutrition and mind-body
medicine-- all aimed at prolonging youth, health, and vitality.
It was also reported in The Times that cosmetic surgery will become more affordable and more accessible but that overall quality of care will decline as more practitioners without formal plastic surgery training assume the
mantle of "cosmetic surgeon." Non-plastic surgeons practicing cosmetic surgery often call themselves cosmetic surgeons, tell others that they are simply "board certified" and hope that patients will assume that they are
certified in plastic surgery and use phrases in their title to make it sound like they have received formal training in an approved Plastic Surgery training program when they simply haven't. This means that it will become
very important for the patient to check the physicians credentials including certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons (414) 454-5445 and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (800) 4PLASTIC.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) grants active membership status to plastic surgeons who are already members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for several years are certified by the
American Board of Plastic Surgery and have demonstrated excellence in and have a majority of their practice in Cosmetic Surgery. They can be reached at (800) 364-2147 Or on the Internet at
