Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Janiss Garza, a Los Angeles rock and fitness journalist, isn't letting investment losses get between her and her Botox.

``No use in looking haggard while my brokerage account is bumming me out,'' said Garza, who said she's in her 40s and plans to get more Botox injections to smooth lines between her eyebrows no matter what the stock market does.

The sagging economy isn't stopping cosmetic surgery patients in the nip-and-tuck capital of the U.S. If tight finances put a facelift or tummy tuck out of reach, they try wrinkle fillers or other cheaper alternatives. They have treatments less often, or borrow to pay for the work they want.

At Beverly Hills Body, whose front window looks onto Sunset Boulevard and a Jaguar dealership, doctors are doing 50 percent more of the less expensive, less invasive procedures than a year ago, Dr. Richard Ellenbogen said. Surgical procedures such as breast augmentation are down 50 percent.

``A lot of people are doing these Band-Aid touch-up jobs now,'' Ellenbogen said.

Forever Young on Wilshire Boulevard is seeing the same trend away from big-ticket fixes like liposuction and nose jobs, Dr. David Rahimi said. The credit crisis didn't reduce his workload: He still sees 30 to 40 people a day seeking to improve their appearance.

Maintaining the Face

``You're already feeling upset about the state of the economy; you don't also want to feel upset about the state of your face,'' said Rahimi, a dermatologist and plastic surgeon. ``Even during a recession, you still want to look good.''

Instead of paying $4,800 for plastic surgery to shore up drooping eyelids or $15,000 for a facelift, some patients get wrinkle fillers such as $500 injections of Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp.'s Restylane or $600 shots of Allergan Inc.'s Juvederm. Those last six months to a year, Rahimi said.

Minimally invasive cosmetic procedures in the U.S. increased 9 percent last year to 9.96 million, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Botox and wrinkle fillers helped boost cosmetic-enhancement spending 7.8 percent to $12.4 billion, for a total of 11.8 million procedures.

Pacing the Botox

Some with budget constraints are postponing even the less expensive treatments. Madeline Vaccare, a dental hygienist in West Los Angeles, said she waits six months between Botox shots instead of four months. Botox, made from the botulinum toxin, smoothes wrinkles by weakening muscles.

``I am not cutting it out completely -- no way,'' said Vaccare, 47. ``I'll figure out a way. I'll skip dinner.''

Patients who can't pay immediately may borrow from an outside lender or the medical practice itself. Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery advertises Botox financing for as little as $12 a month and liposuction loans as low as $106.

``The economy is bad, money is tight, and people still try to finance things,'' said Marc Morgan, who helps arrange financing between doctors and patients at Surgeryloans.com, a closely held company in Irvine, California. Its Web site advertises rates from 5.9 percent to 19.9 percent to ``help you improve your credit rating while also helping you improve your physique.''

Subprime Facelifts

Loan approvals at Surgeryloans.com are rising, Morgan said. The company offers rates for both prime and subprime borrowers, and the option of using a co-signer who has a better credit rating.

``Vanity is what it is,'' Morgan said. ``They want a new look, or a better look, or a corrective look, and they will find a way to pay.''

Across the U.S., more patients are financing treatments such as laser facial resurfacing and tummy tucks, said Dr. Steven Hopping, a plastic surgeon and president of the Chicago-based American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

``At least if you invest in yourself instead of the stock market, you have something to show for it,'' Hopping said. ``People are realizing they may not be able to retire as early as they hoped. They may have to stay in the workforce longer, so they want to look good longer.''

Best Foot Forward

Appearance is a concern for Jackie Bailey, an unemployed secretary in Westlake Village, on the outskirts of L.A., as she job-hunts at age 54. She said she had to sell her house because she couldn't afford the mortgage payments, but she spent $250 on Botox last month.

``I am pushing off some of the more expensive procedures for a certain period of time, but I am going back for some Botox injections,'' Bailey said. ``It's important to look good as I am going back into the job market.''

Some people are allergic to Botox or to dermal fillers, which are composed of animal collagen or chemicals. One New York woman flies to see Ellenbogen at Beverly Hills Body for a different solution.

The 49-year-old, who asked that her name not be used, said she took out a five-year, $15,000 loan last November for surgery using her own fat to restore facial tissue.

A recession won't stop her from going back for more work on her chin and mouth in January. She said the procedures have shaved 10 years off her appearance and are worth the money she borrowed.

Rock journalist Garza agreed: ``I consider anything I do cosmetically an investment in me.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Nadja Brandt in Los Angeles at nbrandt@bloomberg.net or Samantha Zee in Los Angeles at szee@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 13, 2008 03:01 EST