Surgeons and skin care specialists say December is their busiest period, with some tripling the number of procedures they normally do.

With all the parties and presents to buy, you'd think the run-up to Christmas would be the worst time of year to plan a nose job or a face lift.

Yet surgeons and skin care specialists say December is their busiest period, with some tripling the number of procedures they normally do.  They explained that the downtime during the holidays gives patients time to recover from sores, scabs and unsightly scarring.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond says he performed 15 full facial rejuvinations this Christmas (facelifts with eyelids and browlifts including other facial procedures to fully rejuvinate their face).  This is over twice the number of patients he usually operates on.

He told us "We experienced a soaring demand, with last month our busiest to date".

And Joe Campana, founder of Dr. Laser in Beverly Hills, says that he sees a substantial rise in demand for laser and injectable procedures during the month of December. "People want to look and feel their best during the holidays".

But hiding scars from friends isn't the only reason for the soaring demand - health insurance, it seems, is another important factor.

The Wall Street Journal reported that bariatric surgery - a procedure that helps the seriously obese lose weight - is more common in December as patients are more likely to have met their insurance plan's deductible limit by that point in the year.

Did you have any procedures done this holiday season?  Share your stories below.