Because of publicity on television "makeover" programs, plastic surgery is not just for the very old or very rich anymore.

Procedures such as face lifts and Botox injections are becoming more common for regular folks who want to dodge the effects of aging, said Dr. Robert Kang, a board certified plastic surgeon from Pine.

As a result, the profession is booming, he said.

Dr. Kang and his associates in the Greater Pittsburgh Plastic Surgery Society want patients to have the best experience possible when they choose cosmetic surgery, so they are warning people to be realistic and to be safe.

"There are a lot of nonplastic surgeons performing plastic surgery," Dr. Kang said. "That is a concern of ours."

Dr. Kang recently was named president-elect of the professional society, which has about 40 members. All are board-certified plastic surgeons.

Dr. Kang will lead the society next year. The group holds several meetings a year where experts are brought in to make presentations on hot topics in the field, such as "mini-face lifts," which are less extensive procedures than traditional face lifts, as well as patient safety.

Dr. Kang said exposure to plastic surgery through the media has opened the public's eyes to options for looking young.

"It is more acceptable now to have cosmetic surgery," he said.

Not only are younger patients having such procedures, but more men are, too.

"Women outnumber men, but there are more men," he said. "It's easier now for guys to talk about these things."

The reason for cosmetic surgery is not always pure vanity, Dr. Kang said. Sometimes, it's strictly business.

"In order to be competitive in today's work force, you have to look younger," he said. "I once saw a high-powered executive who was in his mid-40s and wanted Botox. He said that every time he was in a negotiation process, he looked angry."

Worried that business associates would be able to read the worry lines on his forehead, he had them smoothed out with Botox injections.

To ensure the best results, Dr. Kang recommends that prospective patients find a board-certified plastic surgeon. Board certification guarantees that doctors have years of training in surgery and experience in plastic surgery.

Dr. Kang and his associates want to remind people that television makeover shows often gloss over the immediate after-effects of cosmetic surgery.

"Everyone looks great [on television] after two or three weeks," he said. "That's misleading."

Healing times are extensive, he said, even when the surgery is done by the most capable surgeon.