A recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery  reports that in the last 5 years, more people of color are opting for cosmetic surgery.

Among those surveyed,

• 31.4 percent were Asian. Their favorite procedure was a face lift, followed by eyelid surgery and ear surgery.
• 27.14 percent were Hispanic who reported that "tummy tucks" (abdominoplasty) were the most popular, followed by thigh lift and breast augmentation.
• 18.8 percent were black who reported liposuction as the most popular followed by breast reduction and forehead lift.

• When minority respondents were asked to identify reasons that would affect their decision to have cosmetic surgery, Hispanics were more likely to select "cost" as a reason affecting their decision to have cosmetic surgery, Asians were more likely to select "stigma" or "not interested" as a reason and black people were more likely to select "don’t need it" as a reason.

"Cosmetic surgery is en vogue no matter who you are," said Dr. Mark Berman, president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. "Feeling better about yourself and making improvements to your looks is thankfully not limited to a specific race or culture."

In another finding, more than 30 percent of respondents said they would seek out a cosmetic surgeon of the same race or ethnicity as themselves. More than half said they expect difficulty finding a cosmetic surgeon of the same race or ethnic group. All ethnic groups wanted more cosmetic surgeons of different races and ethnic groups.

A note: Cosmetic surgery has taken an economic hit in the last three years as people who want a younger look opt for less expensive procedures procedures, or simply wait until they could afford it comfortably. Cosmetic surgery has lost ground or remained even during the current recession.