Every year The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) sends each one of us Board Certified Plastic Surgeons a questionnaire to assess our case numbers for the year. The results are in for this year– Almost 9.2 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2011. From 2010-2011, there was a 1% increase in the total number of cosmetic surgical procedures. Our practice volume was up 5% from 2010. Hopefully this reflects some improvement in the economy.
The top five surgical procedures were:
Liposuction (325,332 procedures)
Breast augmentation (316,848 procedures)
Abdominoplasty (149,410 procedures)
Eyelid Surgery (147,540 procedures)
Breast Lift (127,054 procedures)
For the first time in 3 years, Liposuction surpassed breast augmentation as the most common cosmetic procedure in the United States.
The top five minimally invasive procedures were:
Botulinum Toxin Type A (2,619,739 procedures)
Hyaluronic acid, such as Juvederm and Restylane (1,206,186 procedures)
Laser Hair Removal (919,802 procedures)
Microdermabrasion (499,427 procedures)
IPL Laser Treatment (439,161 procedures)
I would anticipate continued growth in our number of cosmetic surgical procedures over this next year as our economy continues to slowly improve. People have been putting off procedures and are at the point where they are ready to invest time and money into themselves. With respect to facial rejuvenation, minimally invasive procedures such as Botox and soft tissue fillers only go so far. I anticipate more facelifts, brow lifts, and eyelid surgery in our practice this next year. As you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin and reshape the underlying tissues are necessary in order to show significant improvement. Also, surgical procedures done sooner have better longevity because of better skin tone and elasticity the younger you are. Facial cosmetic surgery performed earlier in life may have more natural results, as the enhancement is subtle. Dramatic changes done later in life may be harder to hide without explaining that you had a facelift. It’s all about maintenance and continuing to look youthful and fit as you pass through middle age and beyond.
Our silicone breast augmentation numbers have also continued to increase relative to saline breast augmentation, as the population has become more confident in the device and it’s safety, while preferring the more natural feel of silicone breast implants over saline implants. A new manufacturer of silicone breast implants, Sientra, just got FDA approval, so now there are three FDA-approved silicone gel-filled breast implants in the U.S. manufactured by Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra. Both physicians and consumers now have more available options of FDA approved silicone implants than ever before.
Dr. Hayley Brown MD, FACS
Las Vegas Breast Augmentation Surgeon
Desert Hills Plastic Surgery Center, Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada