Plastic surgery was once the prerogative of the rich and famous and whites. But now plastic surgery is for everyone, irrespective of the color of the skin. Cosmetic surgery is also more affordable these days, with many surgeons offering financing plans on procedures ranging from $2,000 for a nose job to nearly $10,000 for a face lift. And thanks to shows like \'Extreme Makeover\' and \'The Swan,\' on which unhappy patients of all ethnicities are physically and emotionally transformed, it has more publicity than ever before.

For minorities, cosmetic surgery is no longer viewed as a sign of self-hatred or a rejection of racial identity. It is more about looking better and looking more proportionate. Some experts say that for African-American women, plastic surgery has a lot to do with culture that says your nose is too wide, your hips are too wide, and your hair’s too curly. Most women have an image in mind that has been shaped by the media.

But others say minorities seek cosmetic surgery for the same reason as whites: In a country obsessed with appearance, it\'s just one more way to look better.

Not only has technology changed, but so have the surgeons themselves. Compared to past decades, many are likely to be minorities. Anthony Griffin, an African-American surgeon who stars in \'Extreme Makeover,\' believes his presence on the show has had an impact.

\'I was the first one to do ethnic patients on the show, and the audience saw that people looked normal. They didn\'t look like Michael Jackson,\' Griffin said. \'In fact, a couple of the patients pointed out on air that they wanted to maintain their \'flavor.\' \'

Nose reshaping is the most common form of cosmetic surgery among African Americans, Asians and Hispanics. For the overall population, it ranks second, after liposuction, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Among Hispanics, who constituted 9 percent of plastic surgery patients last year (8 percent were black; 4 percent were Asian), the second most popular procedure was breast augmentation, followed by liposuction.

For blacks, breast reduction was the second most common procedure, followed by liposuction. The second choice for Asians was eyelid surgery, with breast augmentation coming in third.