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Cosmetic surgery is on the rise. For decades it has been a popular option for people who want to change their appearance (and have had the money to be serious about it), but now it is gaining more acceptance in the general populace. According to a recent study, more than half of Americans approve of cosmetic plastic surgery.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conducts research and releases annual reports on plastic surgery that show how the industry is trending. In 2010, the report found that while the acceptance of plastic surgery is up, so are the number of people that are getting something done. On the other hand, it also discovered that non-surgical procedures (the ones that are minimally invasive and far less expensive) were actually going down just a little.
Of course, every region is different, and some places contribute more to the cosmetic surgery numbers than others. First we will look at the national figures and then see how they relate to San Diego.
The Big Numbers
ASAPS found that from 2009 to 2010 there was almost a 9% increase in the total number of cosmetic surgical procedures. That means that over 1.6 million procedures were performed that year, running up a bill of nearly $10.7 billion on medical cosmetics. (Note: the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has slightly different statistics, but we will stick with the ASAPS for the purpose of this article. Even so, the numbers are very similar.)
Those numbers can be further divided up into surgical procedures ($6.6 billion), injectable procedures ($1.9 billion), skin rejuvenation ($1.8 billion), and hair removal or laser treatment ($500 million). The total number of surgeries has increased %155 since 1997 (when they started keeping track), with surgical procedures increasing 71% and nonsurgical procedures going up by 228%.
One does have to wonder why the number of nonsurgical procedures actually went down recently. With the troubled economy and more affordable prices, one might think that this area should have continued to grow at least as much as the surgical side of the industry. Only time will tell whether this decline was a small hiccup in the normal trends or if it is indicative of something else entirely.
The Most Popular Surgeries
In 2010, the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures were:
Breast augmentation has been the most popular surgery for three years running, which probably either means the procedure is becoming a lot more affordable or we are just becoming a lot more shallow. Whichever.
The statistics for men and women are a little different. Women had almost 8.6 million cosmetic surgeries during the year, making up 92% of the total. This number is up 164% since 1997 – another indication of the growing acceptance of cosmetic surgery in general. While the most popular surgeries among women are the same as the top five for the general populace, the order is a little different. The most common procedures for women were breast augmentation, liposuction, breast reduction, abdominoplasty, and eyelid surgery.
Men, of course, make up the last 8% of cosmetic procedures, accounting for over 750,000 cases. While the number of men going in for a procedure isn’t growing as fast (88% since 1997), it is still growing. The top five most common surgical procedures among men were liposuction, rhinoplasty (nose surgery), eyelid surgery, breast reduction, and cosmetic ear surgery. (Really? Ears? Have to admit that one surprised me a little.)
Nonsurgical Procedures
According to the same study, the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedures were:
Nonsurgical procedures have been so popular due to the simplicity of the process and the ability to take care of some of their cosmetic intentions without having to go under the knife. Many of these procedures, from the laser treatments to Botox treatments can be done very quickly, and the recovery time is minimal. It’s a great way for people to get closer to the look they want without having to go in for a complete restructuring.
San Diego Procedures
To understand a little more how this number break down by region, and maybe get an idea about the most popular plastic surgeries in San Diego, we will need to look at the reports by the ASPS. This study divided the country up into five basic regions and examined the types of surgeries that are performed in each.
California is in the Pacific States region which came out on top with the most plastic surgeries. This region made up for 31% of the total. The top of our list pretty much matched the overall totals, with breast augmentation and eyelid surgery leading the way. The next most popular surgeries in the area were liposuction, facelifts, and nose reshaping.
The top nonsurgical procedures, on the other hand, were chemical peels and laser hair removal. Botox and other soft tissue fillers came in after that, with the last one being microdermabrasion.
Does This Apply to You?
While these reports are a great way to measure what is trending in the plastic surgery industry, that doesn’t mean the average person should choose those procedures just because they’re the most popular. If you are thinking about getting something done, you shouldn’t consult the numbers. Yes, these are kind of interesting, but you need to ask yourself if they really apply to your situation.
The best thing you can do is take the time to consult with a professional and find out what your options really are. After all, there are some medical conditions that may prohibit you from breast augmentation surgery, or you may be looking at a longer recuperation time than normal, and only a professional cosmetic surgeon will be able to help you determine this. If you are among the half of Americans who find plastic surgery completely acceptable, you just need to find a doctor who understands your situation and can make sure you get the right procedures
Cosmetic surgery is on the rise. For decades it has been a popular option for people who want to change their appearance (and have had the money to be serious about it), but now it is gaining more acceptance in the general populace. According to a recent study, more than half of Americans approve of cosmetic plastic surgery.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conducts research and releases annual reports on plastic surgery that show how the industry is trending. In 2010, the report found that while the acceptance of plastic surgery is up, so are the number of people that are getting something done. On the other hand, it also discovered that non-surgical procedures (the ones that are minimally invasive and far less expensive) were actually going down just a little.
Of course, every region is different, and some places contribute more to the cosmetic surgery numbers than others. First we will look at the national figures and then see how they relate to San Diego.
The Big Numbers
ASAPS found that from 2009 to 2010 there was almost a 9% increase in the total number of cosmetic surgical procedures. That means that over 1.6 million procedures were performed that year, running up a bill of nearly $10.7 billion on medical cosmetics. (Note: the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has slightly different statistics, but we will stick with the ASAPS for the purpose of this article. Even so, the numbers are very similar.)
Those numbers can be further divided up into surgical procedures ($6.6 billion), injectable procedures ($1.9 billion), skin rejuvenation ($1.8 billion), and hair removal or laser treatment ($500 million). The total number of surgeries has increased %155 since 1997 (when they started keeping track), with surgical procedures increasing 71% and nonsurgical procedures going up by 228%.
One does have to wonder why the number of nonsurgical procedures actually went down recently. With the troubled economy and more affordable prices, one might think that this area should have continued to grow at least as much as the surgical side of the industry. Only time will tell whether this decline was a small hiccup in the normal trends or if it is indicative of something else entirely.
The Most Popular Surgeries
In 2010, the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures were:
Breast augmentation has been the most popular surgery for three years running, which probably either means the procedure is becoming a lot more affordable or we are just becoming a lot more shallow. Whichever.
The statistics for men and women are a little different. Women had almost 8.6 million cosmetic surgeries during the year, making up 92% of the total. This number is up 164% since 1997 – another indication of the growing acceptance of cosmetic surgery in general. While the most popular surgeries among women are the same as the top five for the general populace, the order is a little different. The most common procedures for women were breast augmentation, liposuction, breast reduction, abdominoplasty, and eyelid surgery.
Men, of course, make up the last 8% of cosmetic procedures, accounting for over 750,000 cases. While the number of men going in for a procedure isn’t growing as fast (88% since 1997), it is still growing. The top five most common surgical procedures among men were liposuction, rhinoplasty (nose surgery), eyelid surgery, breast reduction, and cosmetic ear surgery. (Really? Ears? Have to admit that one surprised me a little.)
Nonsurgical Procedures
According to the same study, the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedures were:
Nonsurgical procedures have been so popular due to the simplicity of the process and the ability to take care of some of their cosmetic intentions without having to go under the knife. Many of these procedures, from the laser treatments to Botox treatments can be done very quickly, and the recovery time is minimal. It’s a great way for people to get closer to the look they want without having to go in for a complete restructuring.
San Diego Procedures
To understand a little more how this number break down by region, and maybe get an idea about the most popular plastic surgeries in San Diego, we will need to look at the reports by the ASPS. This study divided the country up into five basic regions and examined the types of surgeries that are performed in each.
California is in the Pacific States region which came out on top with the most plastic surgeries. This region made up for 31% of the total. The top of our list pretty much matched the overall totals, with breast augmentation and eyelid surgery leading the way. The next most popular surgeries in the area were liposuction, facelifts, and nose reshaping.
The top nonsurgical procedures, on the other hand, were chemical peels and laser hair removal. Botox and other soft tissue fillers came in after that, with the last one being microdermabrasion.
Does This Apply to You?
While these reports are a great way to measure what is trending in the plastic surgery industry, that doesn’t mean the average person should choose those procedures just because they’re the most popular. If you are thinking about getting something done, you shouldn’t consult the numbers. Yes, these are kind of interesting, but you need to ask yourself if they really apply to your situation.
The best thing you can do is take the time to consult with a professional and find out what your options really are. After all, there are some medical conditions that may prohibit you from breast augmentation surgery, or you may be looking at a longer recuperation time than normal, and only a professional cosmetic surgeon will be able to help you determine this. If you are among the half of Americans who find plastic surgery completely acceptable, you just need to find a doctor who understands your situation and can make sure you get the right procedures