| Plastic surgery in Utah is so common that Salt Lake | | | | Hollywood based opinion of Utah. |
| City was voted the "vainest" city by Forbes magazine. | | | | A great proportion of plastic surgery in Utah is breast |
| Don't believe it? The study looked at the number of | | | | and body contouring surgery. Generally a "mommy |
| plastic surgeons per capita and compared the top 50 | | | | makeover" includes various combinations of a breast |
| cities in the U.S. Salt Lake City has six plastic surgeons | | | | lift, breast augmentation, tummy tuck and liposuction. |
| for every 100,000 people. New York City has four | | | | These are relatively conservative women who just |
| plastic surgeons per 100,000 residents and Los | | | | want their bodies back. Of my cosmetic practice in |
| Angeles has 4.1 per 100,000 people. Miami claims 5.2 | | | | Utah, I would estimate that 95% of my patients are |
| plastic surgeons per every 100,000. | | | | female and 80% see me for one of these procedures. |
| So the obvious question is why are there so many | | | | Another reason that plastic surgery is so popular in |
| plastic surgeons in Salt Lake City, Utah anyway? As a | | | | Utah is the number of patients whom travel from out |
| plastic surgeon practicing just north of Salt Lake in | | | | of town for plastic surgery. The cost of plastic surgery |
| Layton,Utah, I feel that I have a pretty good handle on | | | | is quite inexpensive when compared to the rest of the |
| what is going on. | | | | U.S. For example, the cost of a tummy tuck is around |
| A little background information is in order. The dominant | | | | $5,000 - $7,000 as compared to $8,000 - $15,000 in |
| religion in Utah is Mormonism or LDS, representing | | | | places like California. The cost of breast augmentation |
| approximately 60%-70% of Utahns. No, not the | | | | is around $4,000 as compared to around |
| strange, clothing making, polygamists that you see on | | | | $6,000-$10,000 in many other states. The competition |
| T.V. Just regular people that share common beliefs. | | | | from the number of plastic surgeons has driven the |
| Within and between neighborhoods, Mormons go to | | | | prices down. Similarly, the cost of living is a little lower |
| church together with their "ward" at the same time | | | | than many areas in the U.S. Patients are flocking from |
| every Sunday and get to know each other very well | | | | all over the country to benefit from these low prices. I |
| similar to the way that co-workers do. Mormons are | | | | would estimate that 20% of cosmetic surgery patients |
| well known for having many children and generally get | | | | visit my practice from out of state. Salt Lake City has |
| married and start having children at a relatively young | | | | a large, convenient, international airport which makes |
| age. Utah has some of the prettiest women in the U.S. | | | | the travel easy and is a short flight from California and |
| (I am a little biased here, but it is true) and take care of | | | | other more populated areas. |
| themselves very well. | | | | Although the price is significantly less expensive, this is |
| So you have young mothers, finished with having | | | | not a statement regarding quality. To help cut costs |
| babies at a young age. Childbirth and the associated | | | | many plastic surgeons in Utah do their procedures in |
| stretch marks, loose and hanging skin have taken a toll | | | | an office operating room to cut down facility fees. |
| on their tummies and breasts. They are generally | | | | Generally, the marketing budget for Utah plastic |
| attractive and care about their image and appearance. | | | | surgeons is significantly less than that of, say a Beverly |
| They have a tight social network of many women | | | | Hills plastic surgeon. All a saving to the patient. |
| whom may have previously had cosmetic surgery and | | | | There are certainly a number of other factors that |
| there is a lot of pressure to "keep up with the Jones's". | | | | help explain the number of plastic surgeons in Utah but |
| Having plastic surgery is a very socially acceptable | | | | the "mommy makeover" and out of town travel |
| thing in Utah, which may surprise outsiders with a | | | | patients top the list. |