The annual 2012 statistics report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons is in and its review is always noteworthy. As it provides an overview of what board-certified plastic surgeons have done, it does not incorporate cosmetic procedures than any other physicians may do…so it is not the total real number of all the cosmetic procedures that occur in the U.S.. But it does come from the greatest concentration of physicians who perform the broadest range and the greatest number of cosmetic procedures so it’s numbers do have a lot of value.
Over 14 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2012, a number that is about 5% greater than the year before. Breaking that number down between surgery and non-surgery, actual cosmetic surgery was down 2% while the collection of procedures that are minimally invasive were up by 6%. This is a trend that has been going on for years now as more and more people of all ages participate in the benefits of Botox, injectable fillers and various laser and medical skin treatments. The neuromuscular modulators, such as Botox, rose to greater than 6 million performed for the first time ever.
The top five non-surgical procedures, which overall increased 6%, included Botox +8%, injectable fillers +5%, chemical peels +2%, laser hair removal +4% and microdermabrasion +8%.
The top five surgical procedures, which was down by 2%, included breast augmentation -7%, rhinoplasty 0% change, eyelid lifts +4%, liposuction -1% and facelifts +6%.
As can be seen by the numbers, facial rejuvenation procedures rose the most in both surgical and non-surgical areas as a reflection of an aging population that sees the value of maintaining a less tired and more youthful appearance. It is also a reflection of the burgeoning number of options available for facial rejuvenation from injections to numerous energy-based devices. By the numbers the following facial procedures showed increases: intense pulsed light +10%, laser resurfacing +9%, Botox +8%, microdermabrasion +8%, injectable fillers +5%, facelift surgery +6% and eyelid lifts +4%.
In the body contouring area long dominated by female breast and abdominal procedures, the number of men (even though they are still way lower in total numbers to women) showed a strong increase. Male body contouring was up lead by an increase in the numbers of gynecomastia procedures performed which was up by 5%. The greatest surge in all the body contouring procedures, however, were arm lifts or brachioplasties. While last year’s surprise winner for a great increase in number of procedures performed was chin augmentation, this year it is armlifts. More bariatric patients, improved liposuction technologies and a female cultural focus on better looking arms is behind the greater numbers of arm reshaping procedures.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana