Crunching the Numbers: The Trending Tides of Modern Cosmetic Surgery

More and more people are opting to go under the knife these days. Recent statistics show that many procedures are continuing to grow in popularity as more and more people seek solutions to problem areas that they are unable to resolve with diet and exercise alone. Here are some of the latest figures that reveal the overall picture, which provide some interesting details about the current trends.

Surgical Procedures Up 3 Percent in the Last Year

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) revealed some interesting statistics earlier in the year that showed an increase of 3 percent in overall cosmetic procedures in 2014 compared to the previous year.

In total, 15.6 million procedures were carried out, including both surgical and non-surgical procedures. It suggests that the rise in this number is due partly to medical advancements and improvements in technology that have provided patients with many more options.

Some of the most popular procedures were buttock implants. There were a total of 1,863 buttock implants in 2014, which was an incredible 98 percent rise from the year before.

Cosmetic surgery procedures were up 1 percent overall, with a total of nearly 1.7 million carried out in 2014. The most popular surgical procedure was the breast augmentation, and others included nose reshaping, facelifts, liposuction, and eyelid surgery.

Minimally-invasive procedures are also up, showing a 4 percent increase on the previous year. The most popular was Botox, with 6.7 million procedures, which is a 6 percent rise on 2013. This was followed by other popular procedures including soft tissue fillers, microdermabrasion, and laser hair removal.

These are growing in popularity because they provide subtle changes where the results are not as noticeable, which is exactly what a lot of people are looking for.

A lot of money was spent on surgery as well. According to the infographic at Smart Beauty Guide, over $12 billion was spent on all procedures during 2014.

Male Surgery Growing in Popularity

The (ASAPS) also released some other statistics for 2014 showing that surgery for men is on the increase. Plastic surgery has long been seen as something more popular with women, and it still is to a large extent. But that does not mean men do not get surgery—and the numbers are going up.

Facelifts, like those provided by KR Plastic Surgery, are one of the most popular procedures for men. According to the ASAPS, these have gone up 44 percent over the past five years.

Blepharoplasty is another popular procedure, which has risen 34 percent in five years. Breast reductions for men have also gone up by 33 percent in the last five years, and hair transplants and liposuction are also popular.

Why the Increase in Surgery?

The increase in surgery for men comes down to a number of factors. In general, there is greater awareness among men of the many procedures that are now available. In addition, there is greater acceptance among men to the idea of getting surgery, and this has surely influenced the amount of men seeking surgery.

There are also workplace pressures to consider. Middle-aged men want to look more youthful, and they are concerned that they look older than they feel. They want to show they are still full of energy, and they want to compete with younger rivals, all of which makes surgery an attractive option.

In general, there is a growing awareness of surgery, and there are also social issues to consider. One of these is the rise of social media and the growing popularity of selfies. People see themselves online all the time in images, and they become more aware of the aspects that they want to change about themselves.

Perfect bodies are everywhere we look, but often people are not seeking perfect. Instead, they just want to change something about their image that they don’t like. Now, because of the advances in surgery, they don’t have to live with these things any more.

Cosmetic Surgery Is More Popular than Ever

All of these stats clearly suggest that cosmetic surgery is growing in popularity, and that it is likely to continue doing so for the foreseeable future. As more people start to see surgery as an option, and as awareness and acceptance increases, fewer people will have to live with aspects of their bodies that they do not like.

If you are thinking about getting some surgery carried out yourself, start looking for experienced surgeons in your area and consider booking an appointment so you can start planning potential procedures that you would like carried out.

Dr Kevin Ruhge is an experienced and respected Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon. He is committed to patient care and enjoys the chance to share his views and insights online. His articles mainly appear on health and lifestyle blogs.