Public school teachers in Buffalo can get botox, liposuction, hair removal, and various other nips and tucks from plastic surgeons -- all completely free. And taxpayers are footing the bill.

The Atlantic reports the perk is part of a self-insured rider in its teachers' contracts. There's no co-pay, so the school district pays for the cosmetic surgery procedures completely.

Though the bill was less than $1 million in 2004, the annual cost is now estimated at $5.4 million and, in 2009, teachers enjoyed $9 million worth of plastic surgery. The Buffalo News says nine out of 10 procedures were skin treatments that year, and 10 out of 10 were elective.

According to Business Insider, the benefit started in the 1970s as a rider to cover reconstructive surgery, such as burn victims, before cosmetic surgery was as common as it is today. In 1996 it was nearly cut, but when the daughter of a district employee suffered a near-fatal car wreck, union officials lobbied to keep the program so she could repair scars on her face and body.

In 2003, Buffalo doctors began promoting the loophole by advertising directly to teachers through their union's newsletter, The Atlantic reports. Six years later, usage tripled and roughly 500 employees were taking advantage of free cosmetic surgery.

When taxpayers found out where their money was going, a public outcry began. Board of Education member Christopher Jacobs agreed with their frustration, telling the Buffalo News that the way the costs skyrocketed "smacks of abuse."

In August, the school board took heat for laying off 117 staff members and was asked to end the cosmetic surgery rider. At $5.4 million, it would've brought back at least 100 laid-off teachers. The Buffalo News reports the board instead agreed to table the discussion for a more comprehensive agreement with the next round of contract negotiations.

However, Buffalo's public teachers have been working without a new contract since the last one expired in 2004.

The Atlantic points out a 1982 New York state law known as the Triborough Amendment, which allows public employees to work under the last contract's terms, with all benefits included, gives them little incentive to agree to make any changes. The 2004 contract gives teachers a 2.5 percent annual salary increase plus the plastic surgery perk.

"The urgency of negotiating a new contract isn't really there," Amber Dixon, interim-superintendent for Buffalo's schools, told The Atlantic. "You get to keep your benefits. You get to keep your cosmetic rider. You get to keep your 2.5 percent step increase. It makes getting back to the table difficult."