`` I have five days to recover from surgery and look good before my husband gets home . '' Marina , a 60-year-old Caucasian woman , sits before me to sign the consent forms for her upcoming operations : a 3-D face-lift , upper and lower eyelid lifts and an endoscopic brow lift . I see on her information sheet that she has n't authorized us to discuss her surgeries with anyone else -- not even her husband . `` So you 're not telling him about all these procedures ? '' `` Not unless I have to . You do n't know him . He would n't understand , and he would n't want me to spend all this money , especially on something he thinks is frivolous . So that 's why I need to look good before he gets back . We 've got five days , Dr . Youn . '' Cosmetic surgery has become a new form of infidelity -- for both men and women . As the number of people having plastic surgery rises , more and more feel the need to hide their procedures from their significant others . In fact , we did a survey of cosmetic patients in my office and found that one-third do n't tell their partners about their treatments . Hard to believe ? While surgery can be difficult to hide , especially large operations with dramatic changes such as tummy tucks and face-lifts , less-invasive procedures such as Botox and filler injections are n't as hard to conceal . Body modification -- or mutilation ? The first step many patients take is to hide how much they 're spending . According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery , the average cost of Botox is $ 392 , and the average cost of Juvederm is $ 675 -- pretty hefty amounts to cover up . So how do they do it ? Some patients pay with cash . Others split it up and pay half in cash , half in credit . Many of my patients have a certain threshold that they can spend on their credit card before their partner notices the individual charge . This amount usually ranges between $ 100 and $ 400 . Often the patient will spend up to that amount on a credit card , then pay the rest in cash . Other patients spread small amounts over several credit cards . Timing the procedure strategically is another way people hide their cosmetic treatments . Many patients , like Marina , have their surgeries done while their spouses are out of town . They use this alone time to recover , so that when their spouses return , they 're none the wiser . For less-invasive treatments , such as lasers and injections , many patients have the procedures performed on days when their partners have plans after work . This way , they have all night to let the swelling subside . When their spouse sees them the next day , they look normal again . You do n't want a jack-of-all-trades surgeon . Some women also take advantage of the fact that their men just are n't that perceptive . Men are notoriously bad at noticing changes in their spouses . In fact , a 2004 study in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that women are much better than men at remembering appearances . I am as bad as any . It can take me days to notice that my wife has changed her hair . So what happened with Marina ? She underwent all four surgeries , with the hope that she 'd look good enough five days later to prevent her husband from noticing the dramatic changes in her face . She stopped by the office to see me several hours before her husband was to return home . Marina was a hot mess . Her eyes looked like she went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson , her neck was taut as a pair of Spanx , and her lips resembled two Vienna sausages . `` Wow , Marina . You 're still quite puffy and bruised , but give it another week or two and you 'll look fantastic , '' I told her . `` However , I 'm not sure your plan to hide your plastic surgery from your husband is going to work . '' `` Dr. Youn , '' she deadpanned . `` You do n't know my husband . '' He never figured it out .
Cosmetic surgery has become a new form of infidelity , plastic surgeon says . Doctor David Chen says a third of patients in his office do n't tell their partners about treatment . Many patients hide how much they 're spending , Youn also says .