New York, NY (December 19, 2005)—The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the leading national organization of board-certified plastic surgeons who specialize in cosmetic surgery, offers its predictions for cosmetic surgery in 2006. Predictions are based on interviews with leading plastic surgeons around the country.

* Silicone gel breast implants will be approved by the FDA. Once approved, these devices, due largely to their more natural feel and appearance, will dominate the US market. (Gel implants have dominated global markets for the past fifteen years.) * Cosmetic surgery among racial and ethnic minorities in the United States will continue to increase. (Current ASAPS statistics report that minority populations’ account for 20 percent of all cosmetic procedures performed.)

* News stories about “discount injectables” bought offshore will alert patients to avoid “to good to be true” discounts and make sure that their safety is protected by choosing a physician with appropriate training, credentials and judgment.

* As States continue to watch New Jersey’s negative experience with the cosmetic surgery tax, they will abandon proposals to tax aesthetic surgery procedures as potential sources for revenue. *

As the popularity of non surgical and minimally invasive procedures continues to grow; surgeons and manufacturers will develop new techniques and products that advance the science, produce even better results and lessen recovery time.

* Men will represent a growing segment of the aesthetic surgery market. (According to a February 2005 consumer survey commissioned by ASAPS, 59 percent of men approve of cosmetic surgery, and 21 percent would consider having cosmetic surgery. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of American men surveyed said they would not be embarrassed if people in addition to their family and close friends knew they had undergone cosmetic surgery.)

* Large - scale clinical studies will be implemented to validate the safety and effectiveness of minimally-invasive treatments such as barbed sutures (the so-called lunch-hour facelift) and fat melting without surgery.

* Cosmetic surgery “vacations” will take a more serious turn as educated consumers understand the safety and risk issues associated with surgical procedures. Surgery performed by board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeons, in accredited facilities where follow-up care is available will continue to be the best value.

* Following the trend in increased consumer sophistication regarding healthcare choices, board certification of practitioners, and accreditation of surgical facilities will play an even more important role in choosing a cosmetic surgeon.

* The growth and popularity of cosmetic fillers will dramatically increase as products continue to evolve and new players enter the market. The 2200-member American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) is the only plastic surgery organization devoted entirely to the advancement of cosmetic surgery. ASAPS is recognized throughout the world as the authoritative source for cosmetic surgery education. U.S. members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Canadian members are certified in plastic surgery by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.