Recently published reports from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) throw light on the changing trends in cosmetic surgery.
ASPS reports that about 15.6 million Americans got plastic surgery last year, a 3% increase from 2013. ASPS President Scot Glasberg, MD attributes the growing demand for plastic surgery to medical advancements and improvements in technology which have resulted in greater choices for patients.
Trends in Cosmetic Surgical Treatments
According to a recent report, the main highlights of the trends in cosmetic surgical treatments during 2013-2014 are as follows:
- Demand rose for both minimally invasive and surgical cosmetic procedures
- A 1% increase was noted for reconstructive procedures, with about 5.8 million Americans undergoing these treatments last year
- Breast reconstructive surgeries alone rose 7%, with 102,200 treatments performed in 2014
- There was a 2% increase in the use of fat in minimally invasive procedures
- The fastest increase was noted for buttock implants and lifts. While buttock augmentation with fat grafting showed a 15% increase (to 11,505 procedures), buttock implants rose 98% (to 1,863 procedures), butt lifts by 44 percent (to 3,505 procedures)
- Breast augmentation fell by 1%. Likewise, a slight decrease in demand is noticed for eyelid surgery and facelifts
- The popularity of liposuction increased, with a 5 percent increase to 210,550 procedures
- Just as in 2013, Botulinum toxin type A (6.7 million), chemical peels (1.2 million) and laser hair removal (1.1 million) were the most popular minimally invasive surgeries in 2014. The demand for these treatments rose 3% to 7%, with largest percentage-point increase for chemical peels
- The demand for male plastic surgery procedures also increased. Pectoral implants were the most popular with 1,050 operations (a 208% from 2013). Up to 26,180 male breast reconstructive surgeries were performed last year and male breast reductions saw a 29% rise since 2000
Dr. Glasberg pointed out that patients are becoming inclined towards subtlety which explains the popularity of minimally invasive procedures in 2014. He also noted that that patients now have more choices than ever before to achieve the results they want and work closely with their plastic surgeon to decide which treatment would provide the optimal outcome.
Statistical data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) shows that 2014 was the "year of the butt", says another report. Buttock augmentation saw a dramatic 86% increase from the previous year, retaining its popularity for two years in a stretch.
ASAPS data also indicate that the demand for nonsurgical fat reduction is growing. Rather than conventional, surgical body sculpting, more and more people are choosing treatments like fat freezing and minimally invasive lipolysis. These procedures which use advanced technology to remove fat safely and effortlessly and involve minimal downtime, fewer risks and less side effects.