Cosmetic surgery had an increased popularity in 2012

More than 10 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed by the board certified doctors in the United States in 2012, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) today released their 16thannual multi-specialty procedural statistics.

Americans spent almost $11 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2012. Of that total $6.7 billion was spent on surgical procedures; $2 billion was spent on injectable procedures; $1.8 billion was spent on skin rejuvenation procedures; and over $483 million was spent on other nonsurgical procedures, including laser hair removal and laser treatment of leg veins.

“We are confident that these statistics continue to accurately report cosmetic procedure trends as performed by the physicians who are most likely to perform them,” said Dr. McCafferty, MD. “For the past 16 years, the interest in and demand for cosmetic plastic surgery has risen exponentially, a 250% increase in surgical and nonsurgical procedures, and our comprehensive statistics continue to show that.”

Cosmetic surgical procedures increased more than 3% in the past year, with almost 1.7 million procedures in 2012. Surgery accounted for 17% of all procedures performed representing 61% of total patient expenditures.

Breast augmentation was the most frequently performed surgical procedure (330,631), followed closely by liposuction (313,011), and abdominoplasty: eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (each performed around 150,000 times).

“In 2012, breast augmentation replaced liposuction as the most popular surgical procedure. This might have something to do with the increased popularity in silicone gel implants since their return to the market in 2006,” said Leo R. McCafferty, MD, President of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. “According to the Society’s statistics in 2006, 383,886 breast augmentation procedures were performed and of those 81% were saline implants and 19% were silicone. In 2012, 330,631 breast augmentation procedures were performed and of those only 28% were saline implants and 72% were silicone.”

Women were by far the biggest clients, with 9.1 million cosmetic procedures performed on them in 2012.

The number of cosmetic procedures for women increased over 252% from 1997. The top five surgical procedures for women were: breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy tuck, eyelid surgery, and breast lift.

Men had only around 1 million cosmetic procedures, including liposuction, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, breast reduction to treat enlarged male breast, and ear shaping. However, the number of cosmetic procedures for men increased over 106% from 1997.

The most popular nonsurgical procedure was injections of Botulinum Toxin Type A (including Botox and Dysport).

Cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures increased over 10 percent in the past year, with almost 8.5 million procedures in 2012. Nonsurgical procedures accounted for 83% of the total number of procedures performed representing 39% of total expenditures. The top five minimally-invasive procedures were:

• Botulinum Toxin Type A: 3,257,913

• Hyaluronic Acid: 1,423,705

• Laser Hair Removal: 883,893

• Microdermabrasion: 498,821

• Chemical Peel: 443,824

This is the second year this survey asked the doctors for the total number of non-surgical procedures being performed in their practices by both physicians and their physician assistants and nurse injectors. When procedures performed by physician assistants and nurse injectors are included, the total number of cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures performed in the United States in 2012 increases to 12.7 million.

Meanwhile, in the UK, 50 percent of cosmetic surgery claims dealt with botched breast implants, according to Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors, the first firm to establish a practice specializing in cosmetic surgery negligence.

There was a significant increase in patient claims for bad PIP (Poly Implant Prothèse) implants in the last 12 months, according to the law firm, consistent with a slight decline in demand for breast augmentation in 2012 (down 1.6% from the previous year). The most complaints regarding breast augmentation that has gone wrong included gross asymmetry, inappropriately placed scarring and nerve damage.

Almost 10,000 women had breast augmentation last year, still making the breast implants the most common cosmetic surgery procedure performed in the UK.