The American Society for Plastic Surgery (ASPS) just released the 2020 statistics on cosmetic procedures. While COVID-19 created an across-the-board decrease (mostly due to office closures as the pandemic unfolded), we are still able to get a clear picture of trends for both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Here at my practice, we were fortunate in that the pandemic only slowed us down for a short while and did not have a significant impact on our numbers. In fact, 2021 has been our busiest year yet!
As far as the statistics for individual procedures, it’s always interesting to see if the numbers match up with what we experience in the office and the OR. Let’s take a look.
From a bird’s eye view, the ASPS report revealed that, in 2020, approximately 2.3 million individuals underwent a cosmetic surgery procedure, and just over 13 million people underwent a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure. This is a 15% decrease over the previous year, due to Covid-19, but represents a 131% increase from 2000. It is clear that, despite the temporary dip, the popularity of cosmetic surgeries continues to grow.
Top Cosmetic Surgery Procedures in 2020
The top five cosmetic surgical procedures performed were nose reshaping (352,555), eyelid surgery (352,112), facelift (234,374), liposuction (211,067), and breast augmentation (193,073). For minimally invasive facial rejuvenation procedures, the top five included BOTOX (4.4 million), dermal fillers (3.4 million), laser skin resurfacing (997,245), chemical peels (931,473), and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments (827,409).
In addition, a survey performed by the ASPS showed that interest in cosmetic procedures is increasing after COVID-19. 11% of women expressed more interest in undergoing a procedure now than before the pandemic. 24% of women who had already undergone a procedure expressed interest in having another. 35% of women with a history of cosmetic procedures said they planned to spend significantly more or somewhat more on cosmetic procedures in the future.
Other notable takeaways:
- 92% of all cosmetic procedures were performed on women; 8% were performed on men.
- The majority of procedures were performed on individuals between the ages of 40 and 54.
- The top 5 surgical procedures for women were nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, facelift, breast augmentation, and liposuction.
- The top 5 surgical procedures for men were nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, cheek implant, liposuction, and ear surgery.
- The ASPS survey results showed that women who were extremely or very likely to consider scheduling cosmetic procedures within six months of the survey were looking at tummy tucks and liposuction.
The Covid-19 Impact
The ASPS findings suggest that the pandemic has affected many people’s bodies and the way they view them. Zoom meetings with cameras coupled with weight gain brought on by quarantining may have fueled an interest in cosmetic procedures. I have seen this myself in my Scottsdale plastic surgery practice. I won’t be surprised if the post-pandemic ASPS statistics reflect a surge in plastic surgery across the board.
One thing that does not fluctuate with global events, however, is the importance of choosing a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon. While you may be eager to get your procedure on the calendar, I urge you to choose carefully who will be performing it, even if it’s non-surgical. There is a great difference in outcomes as well as safety factors, even when it comes to procedures like BOTOX and facial fillers. And if you are having surgery, don’t settle for less than a board certified plastic surgeon with years of experience and hundreds of satisfied patients behind her.
If you find yourself among the millions considering a cosmetic procedure in the future, I welcome you to call my office and make an appointment.
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