Boob-job biz sagging: Economic meltdown is causing many to delay cosmetic surgery, survey says

"We've had a dropoff just because of the economic environment," said Milgrim. "Some of the larger procedures have dropped off more than some of the smaller procedures."

"I think today the gestalt is, 'Don't change me, just make me look better than I am now.'"

A study released Monday shows Milgrim isn't the only plastic surgeon hurting.

Cosmetic surgical procedures have plummeted 15% in the past year, and nonsurgical procedures are down 12%, according to the survey by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Nationwide, breast augmentations, which cost up to $4,000, fell from nearly 400,000 in 2007 to 355,671 last year. Tummy tucks, which run $5,400, were down by 37,943 cases, while the number of $2,800 eyelid surgeries was off by 45,659.

Even $443 Botox injections dropped from 2.7 million in 2007 to 2.4 million last year.

Overall, the number of cosmetic surgeries in the U.S. has fallen from a high of 11.8 million in 2004 to 10.2 million last year.