New York, NY, Oct. 27, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A recent analysis of common searches performed in 2011 by users on Vitals, the leading online physician directory, revealed a not-so-surprising fact about Californians: they perform the most number of searches for plastic surgery specialists.
Of the more than 12 million searches for ‘plastic surgeons’ on Vitals this year, over 16 percent originated in California. This means that Californians account for more than 2 million of the plastic surgeon searches, compared with the per state average of 20,000 - making Californians 100 times more likely to research plastic surgeons than residents of other states.
Vitals users find a doctor by searching for a particular doctor’s name, or by a condition, symptom or a physician’s specialty. Vitals analyzed how many users chose ‘Plastic Surgery Specialist’ in their ‘Find a Doctor’ tool and the location of each user’s IP address to determine which state researched plastic surgeons the most.
But, Californians don’t just research plastic surgeons. They also opt into surgical procedures in record numbers. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that California leads the nation in the number of breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, facelift, liposuction and nose-reshaping procedures performed.
A whopping 20 percent of plastic surgeon searches in California come from Los Angeles, where Hollywood’s pressure to look like a star is felt by many of its residents. Dr. Daniel Yamini, a prominent plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, says many of his patients are actors and actresses trying to compete in the entertainment industry.
But Yamini also believes the high demand for plastic surgery in his state has a lot to do with the value all Californians place on looking good. "While certainly a healthy portion of our business comes from patients working in the entertainment industry, you must also consider California's overall focus on health and beauty as one of the driving forces behind these figures," said Yamini.
After California, Florida had the second highest number of plastic surgeon searches. Dr. Thomas Fiala, a plastic surgeon near Orlando, says that Florida, like California, is also a coastal state where residents are more apt to spend time on the beach in swimsuits.
"The warm weather and relaxed atmosphere means lighter, more revealing clothes are commonplace," says Fiala, "so people are probably a little more ‘body aware’ here."
Below are the top five states searching for ‘plastic surgeons’ on Vitals this year:
1. California - over 2 million
2. Florida - over 1.3 million
3. New York - over 1.2 million
4. Texas - over 500 thousand
5. New Jersey - nearly 400 thousand
Visit Vitals for more information or to find a plastic surgeon near you.
To view our previous press release, click here.
About Vitals
Vitals empowers consumers with the tools and services they need to take charge of their health. Vitals is the only website dedicated to helping patients find doctors that meet their needs, request appointments and prepare for their visit with our condition-specific Patient Guides. Used by over 9 million people each month, Vitals makes it easy for patients to find and connect with quality medical care.