More than 160,000 children under the age of 18 underwent cosmetic procedures in 2008, according to a recent report by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

USA Today reported last week that 160,283 children underwent procedures in 2008, down from 205,119 in 2007. Unidentified industry experts theorized the decline was due to the struggling US economy rather than a lack of interest.

New York plastic surgeon Gerald Pitman said most of his child patients want a "normal" appearance by having their features altered.

"The kids I see, their desire is almost uniformly to be normal, nondeviant. Kids don't want to stand out in a negative way," Pitman told USA Today.

With recent child patient numbers easily surpassing the 2000 tally of 145,094, at least one expert has questioned how much of an impact the procedures will have on young patients. "The goal is admirable, right? Better lives. The question is: Does it work, and is it necessary?" says Alice Dreger of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Chicago's Northwestern University.

[Source: United Press International/USA Today]