The Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank, sponsored by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), is the most comprehensive collection of data available on the number of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed in the United States.

ASAPS is the only organization providing 7-year multi-specialty data on the 38 top cosmetic procedures.

To collect the 2003 data, more than 14,000 surveys were sent to board-certified physicians and surgeons in the following specialties: Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Dermatology. Survey results were used to project national totals for the approximately 23,000 U.S. medical specialists most likely to perform several or more cosmetic procedures. The survey has a standard error of +/- 3.92 percent at a 95 percent level of confidence.

About ASAPS

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) was founded in 1967, when cosmetic surgery was only beginning to be recognized as an important subspecialty of plastic surgery. Since then, education and research in cosmetic surgery have been the focus of ASAPS' mission, enabling its members to pioneer major advances in the field.

ASAPS' membership in the United States is restricted to American Board of Plastic Surgery certified surgeons who meet additional requirements for clinical experience and continuing education in cosmetic surgery. However, ASAPS recognizes the contributions of physicians and surgeons in multiple specialties when compiling its national statistics on cosmetic surgery. ASAPS appreciates the support of these specialists in providing accurate data on the number of cosmetic procedures they perform each year.