National
Venezuelan businesses are battening down the hatches in anticipation of a tough 2009, but not plastic surgeons such as Dr. Peter Romer, shown here checking Natasha Trebuc after nose surgery, December 10, 2008. He has a full schedule through March and expects little decline during the rest of the year even if Venezuela's oil-dependent economy suffers a sharp fall as expected. (Gabriel Osorio/MCT)
MCT
Venezuelan businesses are battening down the hatches in anticipation of a tough 2009, but not plastic surgeons such as Dr. Peter Romer, shown checking the results of the surgery made on Elizabeth Facchineia's breasts, December 10, 2008. He has a full schedule through March and expects little decline during the rest of the year even if Venezuela's oil-dependent economy suffers a sharp fall as expected. (Gabriel Osorio/MCT)
MCT
Venezuelan businesses are battening down the hatches in anticipation of a tough 2009, but not plastic surgeons such as Dr. Peter Romer. Elizabeth Facchineia watches herself in the mirror, December 10, 2008, after a medical check for the plastic surgery performed by Romer. (Gabriel Osorio/MCT)
MCT
Margherita Espósito, 50, borrowed about half of the $12,000 it cost to have Dr. Antonio Goncalves give her a facelift and larger breasts and to staple her stomach to lose weight. Margarita de Perri, 62, had Goncalves replace the implant that she had been given 20 years ago. (Gabriel Osorio/MCT)
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