The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is an authority when it comes to collecting information from its elite circle of plastic surgeons so it can generate statistical data. Every year both medical professionals and laypeople are quite interested in the results for their own personal reasons.
For plastic surgeons, they can gauge trends as well as the changes in their own practice. And for non-medical individuals, they have the opportunity to see what is deemed “popular and trendy” in the world of plastic surgery.
According to the press release issued by ASPS, procedures have switched gears in relation to cosmetic procedures since the start of the millennium. And these procedures fall into the categories of operative and other treatments described as minimally-invasive.
The survey revealed a robust total of 15.9 million procedures in both categories. From the data collected in 2015, there was a 2 percent procedure spike in the United States.
In the press release, ASPS president David H. Song, MD, MBA, FACS provided his viewpoint.
“While more traditional facial procedures and breast augmentations are still among the most popular, we’re seeing much more diversity in the areas of the body patients are choosing to address,” he said. Dr. Song added, “Patients have more options than ever, and working closely with their surgeon, they’re able to focus on specific target areas of the body to achieve the look they desire.”
While the press release was indeed filled with statistics, on the other hand, it provided an educational outlet. Interestingly the organization pointed out how in the past “plastic surgery” used to be tantamount facelift procedures. Yes, while facial rejuvenation is still a sought after procedure among certain demographics, other aesthetic procedures have made their own significant mark included the following:
- Brachioplasty (arm lift)
- Mastopexy (breast lift)
- Gluteal Augmentation (buttock lift)
- Lower Body Lift
According to ASPS, they compared patient stats from 2000. The numbers of arm lifts increased 4,959 percent with 17,099 procedures performed in 2015. Breast lifts increased 89 percent with 99,614 procedures performed in 2015, buttock lifts increased 252 percent with 4,767 procedures performed in 2015, and lower body lifts increased 3,973 percent with 8,431 procedures performed in 2015.
In 2015, the top surgical procedures in the lead were breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery and tummy tucks.
In the minimally-invasive category, it’s not surprising to discover that Botox was at the top of the list with 6.7 million treatments performed in 2015. The other procedures that followed were fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion.
Dr. Song made another critical statement regarding minimally-invasive procedures.
“The number of available providers, lower costs and the less-invasive nature of these procedures obviously appeal to a much broader range of patients,” said Dr. Song. “However, we urge anyone who is considering a minimally-invasive procedure to consult with a board-certified, ASPS-member surgeon.”
While these procedures are not deemed surgical, they are still considered medical procedures and should be carried out in a medical setting.
Like all ASPS members, Dr. Song encouraged patients to seek only the most “qualified and highly trained” medical professionals for these procedures. And of course, this holds true for all plastic surgeries.
As many begin to digest the newest data from ASPS, it will be interesting to see what 2016 brings.
