Under cosmetic surgery, you can say that you are either taking something out, or putting something in the body. Simply put, you remove what you don’t like about yourself, and add something that you would like to have to make you look more attractive. Though the association that most people have about the purpose of cosmetic surgery is for aesthetics, or outer beauty, there are a notable number of persons who go under the knife to feel better about themselves, and to change their lives.

The American Society for Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that more than $12 billion in revenue was generated from the cosmetic procedures commonly chosen by residents of the US. Within these stats were breakdowns of the total amount spent for both surgical and non-surgical methods. As of the year 2007, the top five most popular surgical methods were: breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, and abdominoplasty. Described below is each procedure.

Breast Augmentation – Some women want to have a bigger bust size, so they can look sexier and more proportionate. This procedure involves insertion of either silicone or saline implants beneath the skin of the breast. The average cost of a boob job is about $3,000 to $4,000. The ASPS reports that 347,000 Americans had this treatment.

Liposuction – This method involves removal of fat deposits beneath the skin by means of a vacuum. Loose skin that is left behind is then tightened and sutured to create firmer arms, abdomen, thighs, or buttocks. The down time for liposuction is about 2 weeks. The average cost of a lipoplasty is $3,000, and there were 302,000 men and women in the US who underwent the procedure.

Rhinoplasty – Not all people are completely satisfied with the shape of their noses: either it is too large, too pointy, crooked, et cetera. This procedure helps reshape the nose by means of an implant that helps adjust the nose bridge to create a more attractive look. More commonly known as a nose job, this procedure also has a down time of a couple of weeks, to allow the sutures to heal, and it costs $3,800. More than 280,000 people had a nose job in 2007.

Blepharoplasty – Eyelid surgery, as this is also commonly referred to, involves tightening and pulling of the skin around the eyelids to prevent them from sagging or drooping. This procedure can also be done under the eyes, so eye bags are removed and firmer skin is seen. Eyelid surgery was done on more than 240,000 people in the same year. You would expect to spend about $3,100 for this treatment.

Abdominoplasty – The ever popular tummy tuck works nearly in the same way as liposuction. Fats are removed, and the skin around the torso is pulled and tightened. This is the fastest way to slim down your waistline, but a down time is to be expected. About 148,000 people went through a tummy tuck, with the average cost of having it ranging from $4,000 to $5,000.