Elective surgery for cosmetic purposes has grown in popularity among both women and men over the past 10 years. In 1997, fewer than one million total cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in the United States; in 2007, that number was over 2 million. Nonsurgical cosmetic procedures have also grown in popularity, with nearly 10 million of such procedures performed in 2007. While women still seek cosmetic treatments more often than men by a 9:1 ratio, the numbers of men undergoing such producers is rising rapidly. The first in our series of features on cosmetic procedures is a list of the top surgical procedures performed on women for cosmetic reasons in 2007, the most recent year for which data are available. The number of women in the U.S. who underwent each procedure in the year 2007 appears in parentheses.

The top 5 cosmetic surgeries among American women are:

1. Breast augmentation (399,440)
2. Liposuction/lipoplasty (398,848)
3. Belpharoplasty (eyelid surgery; 208,199)
4. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck; 180,457)
5. Breast reduction (153,087)

Cosmetic surgery is, by definition, elective surgery and is therefore not required for your health. While the overall risks of such surgery are relatively low, serious and life-threatening complications can occur. Going under general anesthesia for any reason carries a small risk of death, and additional risks depend upon the specifics of a given cosmetic procedure.

If you are thinking about undergoing cosmetic surgery, make sure that you find a surgeon that is certified in his or her specialty by an appropriate board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. It may also be a good idea to be evaluated by your regular physician for any predisposing characteristics that might increase your risk of complications during a cosmetic surgery procedure. Be sure to tell the plastic surgeon about any health conditions you have that might impact the surgical procedure. Hiding such information in order to be accepted as a patient is not only illegal but is also incredibly dangerous.

For more information on cosmetic surgery procedures, join the Healia Health Community for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

_{Source: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2007 Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank-Statistics, 2/07. http://www.surgery.org/download/2007stats.pdf}

_{Photo: crucially, Flickr, Creative Commons}