According to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), plastic surgery (or cosmetic surgery) is more popular than ever before. The ASPS indicates that approximately 17.5 million cosmetic surgery procedures were last year in the U.S, with minimally invasive surgeries (i.e., injections, fillers, and chemical peels) increasing almost 200% since the year 2000.
For instance, plastic surgeons say the most popular invasive cosmetic procedures in 2017 include breast augmentations and liposuction—while Botox and tissue fillers topped the list of minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures. Here are the most popular plastic surgeries in America at the moment:
1. Breast augmentation
Topping the list of plastic surgeries is breast augmentation, with a surprising 300,378 of augmentation mammoplasty performed in last year. Breast augmentation and breast implants or fat transfer (or taking fat from one area and using it to boost breast volume) to increase the size and improve the shape of a patient’s breasts. Many female patients undergo breast aug after pregnancy, severe weight loss, or after a mastectomy (removal with breast cancer). While a breast augmentation won’t improve sagging breasts, a breast lift surgery is often conducted in combination with breast augmentation surgery.
2. Liposuction
A surprising 246,354 U.S. patients underwent liposuction, or lipo, last year according to the ASPS, to slim and tone specific body contours. Lipo aims to take away excess fat deposits to improve size, shape, and proportions to specific areas of the body. The most popular areas for liposuction are the thighs, hips, buttocks, stomach (often in conjunction with a tummy tuck), waist, and upper arms. Despite common belief, lipo is not a weight loss surgery nor a surgery to remove cellulite. Patients must use diet and exercise to reach close to goal weight prior to surgery and maintain diet and exercise post-surgery.
3. Facelifts
Known as a rhytidectomy in medical circles, facelifts were once among the top 5 most-performed plastic surgeries in the U.S. However, last year tummy tucks outranked them. Rhytidectomies are often combined with other facial surgeries—such as forehead lifts or eyelid and chin reshaping—to contour and minimize sagging, wrinkled skin and a more youthful appearance.
4. Tummy tuck
With almost 130,000 abdominoplasties performed last year, tummy tucks (or lower body lifts) are growing in popularity among women post-pregnancy or following bariatric surgery or extreme weight loss. During a tummy tuck, a surgeon removes extra skin from the stomach area and aims to make any hanging skin more taut. Despite common misconception tummy tucks are not meant as weight loss surgery. The ideal patient has already attained their near goal weight, and the procedure is meant to remove and tighten sagging, excess skin tissue.
5. Botox injections
This minimally invasive cosmetic procedure injects botulinum toxin (a derived bacteria) into specific areas to bulk up and lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Botox works by impeding nerve signals to specific muscles so they are unable to contract and cause creasing. Last year, a shocking 7.23 million botox procedures were administered in order to banish crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead creases. Botulinum injections are marketed under brands like Xeomin®, Dysport®, and Botox®.
6. Lip fillers
There were 2.69 million dermal filler procedures performed last year, most commonly in order to plump up thin lips. Dermal fillers aim to smooth out facial lines and restore volume and fullness to specific areas of the face (i.e., lips, cheeks, smile lines, crow’s feet, and lower lids) and for overall facial rejuvenation prior to the need for a more invasive facelift. Many patients that get dermal fillers will eventually undergo a total facelift surgery.
7. Microdermabrasion
The ASPS indicates 740,287 microdermabrasion procedures in 2018. Microdermabrasion is a skin polishing technique. This very minimally invasive, non-chemical treatment utilizes a microcrystal spray in order to the skin’s most outer dry, banishing sun damage, fine lines and acne scars, and dead skin cells to unveil a fresh layer of skin cells underneath. Unlike dermabrasion, an intense deep skin treatment, microdermabrasion is gentler on skin Dermabrasion is a more intensive procedure used to treat deep facial lines, extreme sun damage, and scars. Microdermabrasion is usually done 2 times initially, and then once each month to preserve a more youthful smooth appearance.
