Breast Implant Indicator

A sagging economy could lead to sagging boobies.
At a meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, one of the hot topics was how would the mortgage credit crisis, and the resulting economic slowdown hurt spending on cosmetic surgery.
Last year, Americans spent an estimated $11.4 billion on plastic surgeon fees and probably close to $4 billion more when facility fees and anesthesia are included.
Breast jobs and tummy tucks aren't covered by insurance, so patients need a chunk of cash -- or a healthy credit line.
Some surgeons say business didn't pick up this fall as much as usual. Others say they have been busy but have lighter bookings for next year. Patients typically go under the knife in January and February to allow time to recuperate before bathing-suit weather arrives.
Breast-implant maker Mentor says the surgeons who are its customers have noticed a drop in patient interest.