The Content of Cosmetic Surgery Advertisements Placed in Large City Magazines, 1985–2004

Cosmetic surgery advertisements largely were banned from the mass media until the 1982 Bates Supreme Court decision. Today, advertising is one of the major marketing drivers of cosmetic surgery procedures. Yet, little is known about the content properties of cosmetic surgery advertising, a sometimes controversial and increasingly competitive field. This study examines 1,857 cosmetic surgery advertisements in large city magazines over two decades, 1985–2004. Among other things, the results indicate that most advertisements used rational vs. emotional appeals and that physician credentials increased in importance. Risk information was virtually non-existent and some content may be at odds with medical codes of ethics.