GRE阅读：美国人爱美却不愿挨刀

　　The number of cosmetic-surgery procedures in the U.S. sagged for the second year in a row in 2009, according to an annual survey released Tuesday by a plastic surgeons association.

　　There were 10 million surgical and nonsurgical procedures last year, down 2% from 2008, according to a survey of 928 board-certified physicians by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a Garden Grove, Calif., group of plastic surgeons specializing in cosmetic surgery.

　　Driving the decline was a 17% drop in surgical procedures, to 1.5 million surgeries. People just couldnt go for the big items, said Renato Saltz, the associations president.

　　Tummy tucks, rhinosplasty and other surgical procedures can cost thousands of dollars more than nonsurgical measures, and they require a longer recovery.

　　Indeed, fear of job loss is the main reason people are putting off their surgeries, says Phil Haeck, president-elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a separate group that has yet to release its annual survey. Dr. Haeck, a plastic surgeon in Seattle, said that marks a shift from last year when consumers cited cost as a primary hurdle. This year, job priority is number one, cosmetic surgery is number two, he said.

　　Breast augmentation beat out liposuction as the most popular surgical procedure for the second year in a row. Dr. Saltz attributes renewed popularity of breast augmentation to the 2006 Food and Drug Administration decision to lift the ban on cosmetic use of silicone breast implants. Breast augmentations numbered 311,957 last year, down 12% from 2008; liposuctions numbered 283,735, down 17%.

　　Nonsurgical procedures, such as injections of Botox or hyaluronic acid to fill facial wrinkles, were flat, inching up 0.6% to 8.5 million.

　　Two surgeries are surging in popularity. Buttock lifts, which involve reshaping of the bottom, increased 25% to 3,024 procedures, and buttock augmentations increased 37%, to 4,996. Increasingly, people want to reshape their rears after losing weight, Dr. Saltz said.

　　The procedures, costing from $4,000 to $5,000, are fairly new, with both benefiting from recent technique improvements, he added. As the economy recovers, more baby boomers are expected to seek procedures, and more physicians will likely offer nonsurgical options. Surgical procedures have increased by 50% since 1997, while non-surgical procedures grew 231%. Places like health clubs and spas are already offering minimally invasive procedures. Cosmetic-surgery associations recommend that consumers seek out procedures that are conducted under the supervision of a board-certified physician.

　　They should also do research before going overseas for cheaper rates for surgical procedures, which physicians say is a growing trend. Right now, there is not an association that verifies that the physician is appropriately trained to do what they are doing, said Dr. Haeck. Very few of the countries where these are being offered have anything that approximates the rigorous boards in the United States.

　　译文：

　　一家整形外科医生联合会周二发布的年度报告显示，2009年，美国整容手术数量连续第二年下降。

　　美国美学整形外科学会对928名获得执照的医生进行的调查发现，去年共进行了1,000万例手术与非手术美容，较2008年下降2%。美国美学整形外科学会位于加利福尼亚州，是一家由专注于整容手术的整形医生组成的团体。

　　造成下降的主要原因是外科手术数量下跌17%至150万例。美国美学整形外科学会主席萨尔茨说，这是因为人们不能承担大型美容手术。

　　腹部整形、鼻部整形和其他手术美容的花费可比非手术美容多出数千美元，而且也需要有一个更长的恢复期。

　　另一团体美国整形外科医生学会的当选主席黑克说，事实上，担心失业是人们推迟做手术的主要原因。黑克是一位在西雅图工作的整形外科医生，他所在的学会尚未发布自己的年度调查报告。他说，今年和去年有所不同：去年，消费者把成本视为主要障碍，而今年，工作第一，整容手术第二。

　　隆胸连续第二年超过吸脂成为最普遍的外科手术。萨尔茨认为，隆胸再次受到欢迎是因为2006年食品和药物管理局决定不再禁止将硅胶乳房植入体用于美容用途。去年隆胸手术共有311,957例，较2008年下降12%;吸脂手术有283,735例，下降17%。

　　非手术美容基本持平，略涨0.6%至850万例。这类美容术包括注射肉毒杆菌或透明质酸来消除面部皱纹。

　　两类外科手术的受欢迎程度正在快速上升。提臀术增长了25%至3,024例，丰臀术增长37%至4,996例。萨尔茨说，有越来越多的人在减肥后希望重塑臀部。

　　萨尔茨说，这两类手术成本在4,000到5,000美元之间，相当新颍，都得益于最近的技术进步。随着经济复苏，预计将有越来越多的婴儿潮一代寻求做美容，可能会有更多的医生提供非手术方案。自1997年以来，手术美容增加了50%，非手术美容则增加了231%。健康俱乐部或水疗会所等场所已经在提供侵入程度最小的美容方案。多个整容手术团体都建议，消费者做美容要在有执照的医生监护下进行。

　　医生们说，有越来越多的人出国做手术，原因是费用更低廉。消费者在出国做手术之前，还应该做好研究。黑克说，目前还不存在一家验证医生是否接受了恰当培训的团体;在提供这些手术的国家当中，很少有像美国那样存在各种活跃的委员会。