During the past year, it has been noted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that Americans have spent a whopping $13.5 billion on having a variety of plastic surgery procedures performed to their faces and bodies. The procedure that was performed more than any other was liposuction, followed by tummy tucks, breast augmentation, breast lifts and various forms of eyelid surgery.
Maintaining a Youthful Appearance
Dr. James Grotting, president of the ASAPS stated the following with regards to why there has been such a vast increase in the amount of people who have had cosmetic surgery performed, “I personally believe the motivating factors for that are varied, but remaining competitive in the workforce is certainly a common factor. Youth is a commodity, and people are investing in themselves to maintain a younger, healthier appearance.”
More than 90% of Patients are Women
The statistics collected by ASAPS further revealed that more than 90% of plastic surgery candidates are in fact women. Approximately 11.5 million of them had various cosmetic surgery procedures performed during the last year, which amounted to an increase of almost 540% since 1997, when these trends were tracked for the first time. While men had far fewer procedures performed – around 1.5 million – this was still a marked increase of around 325%. Around 40% of patients who had plastic surgery performed were between 30 and 50 years of age.
Popular Surgeries
Surgeons who collected the information noted that fat transfer to the face (a new procedure category) quickly became one of the top 10 procedures that were performed. Others that followed hot on its heels included non-surgical skin tightening (men), labiaplasty for women ( a 16% increase), buttock lifts (31% increase) and buttock augmentation procedures, which increased by just over 20%. Other popular cosmetic treatments included Botox injections and other dermal fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm.
The Right Reasons are Important
Although there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of plastic surgeries being performed, it is important for patients to ensure that they are doing it because they truly want to and not because they ‘want to look like their favorite star or celebrity.’ It is also recommended that patients seek out plastic surgeons who are highly experienced in performing the procedures they want to have done. This will ensure that the procedures are carried out according to plan and that the risks of injury or unpleasant side effects are kept to a minimum. The best way for patients to find a reputable surgeon is to ask for referrals from patients who have recently had surgery performed.
While popularity levels of the above mentioned procedures have soared over the years, it is expected that there will be an increase in many other procedures being performed as well. Patients who would like to have plastic or cosmetic surgery performed and who would like to find out what options are available can schedule an appointment with us today.
