New Products, New Hope for Plastic Surgeons in the Recession

While they are very adept at lifting breasts and firming up thighs, the cosmetic surgeons of the nation also admit that they are quite powerless when it comes to uplifting a sagging economy. But at the same time, hope is still rising because of the very first competitor of Botox had just been approved the previous week and may have some revolutionary treatments looming on the horizon. This also includes stem cell injections as well as a cream that has the potential to erase unwanted facial lines.

Sagging Business in the Plastic Surgery Industry

According to Dr. Brian Kinney, a surgeon from Los Angeles, business is quite flat at the moment. This is what he said during the annual meeting held by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery last Thursday. He even cited one particular lady customer who said during October that she was looking into getting a face lift but still needs to sell one of her houses to ensure her financial security. In March, the same woman said that she was still delayed in the sale because the real estate market is down. Last year, the total number of these cosmetic procedures in all of America had gone down by twelve point three percent compared to the year 2007. This rested at a mere ten point two million. Such is a type of setback for this business which had seen continuous growth ever since the year 1997 – a time when around two million different types of procedures had taken place.

Nonsurgical Growth

But the area which had grown the biggest would definitely have to be the procedures that are in the nonsurgical line, with thanks the success of the Botox treatment (a botulinum toxin which works by relaxing and numbing the facial muscles that invariably creates one’s wrinkles). However, the company which markets Botox is now bracing for competition because the FDA had approved Dysport, which is another botulinum toxin that is from a French drug maker company (Ipsen Biopharm Ltd.). A lot of people eagerly await this because this is also the very first competitor of Botox in over seven years, according to Dr. Z. Paul Lorenc. Lorenc is a Manhattan-based doctor who sees Dysport being a longer-lasting, faster-acting and less expensive option which also creates a softer look.

Additionally, there are some studies about the topical versions of Botox and Dysport – but these muscle-numbing medications are still yet to come out in the market. However, as early as now doctors have begun debating the usefulness and practicality of these. They are concerned that if they give their patient cream which they take home, they might end up with dosing problems. Furthermore, the patients might also end up putting the cream along the sides of their mouths and might give them problems when it comes to properly moving their mouths.