10.2 million cosmetic procedures in 2008
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports liposuction no longer the most popular surgical procedure
March 16, 2009
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
Over 10.2 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2008, according to statistics released today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The Aesthetic Society, after collecting multi-specialty procedural statistics since 1997, says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 162% since the collection of the statistics first began. The most frequently performed nonsurgical procedure was Botox injections and the most popular surgical procedure was breast augmentation.
"For the first time in the twelve years these statistics have been collected liposuction is a runner up in popularity to breast augmentation. There is no doubt that this turnabout will generate discussions in the medical community and the public at large," Alan Gold, M.D., Aesthetic Society president, reflects that "changes in fashion, i.e., décolletage baring styles, might be a factor behind this change."
Trends and Demographic Data
Top Procedures
Top surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures among men and women in 2008:
| Surgical | Number of Procedures | Nonsurgical | Number of Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Augmentation | 355,671 | Botox | 2,464,123 |
| Lipoplasty (liposuction) | 341,144 | Laser Hair Removal | 1,280,964 |
| Eyelid Surgery | 195,104 | Hyaluronic Acid (including Hylaform, Juvederm, Perlane/Restylane) | 1,262,848 |
| Rhinoplasty | 152,434 | Chemical Peel | 591,808 |
| Abdominoplasty | 147,392 | Laser Skin Resurfacing | 570,880 |
Procedures for Women
Top cosmetic procedures for women:
| Surgical | Number of Procedures | Nonsurgical | Number of Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Augmentation | 355,671 | Botox | 2,239,024 |
| Lipoplasty | 309,692 | Hyaluronic Acid (including Hylaform, Juvederm, Perlane/Restylane) | 1,200,420 |
| Eyelid Surgery | 166,426 | Laser Hair Removal | 1,101,255 |
| Abdominoplasty | 143,005 | Chemical Peel | 554,492 |
| Breast Reduction | 139,926 | Laser Skin Resurfacing | 532,008 |
Women had almost 92% of cosmetic procedures. The number of procedures (surgical and nonsurgical) performed on women was over 9.3 million, a decrease of over 11% from the previous year. Surgical procedures decreased 15%; nonsurgical procedures decreased by 11%. Since 1997, surgical procedures increased 104%, while nonsurgical procedures have increased 233%.
Procedures for Men
Top cosmetic procedures for men:
| Surgical | Number of Procedures | Nonsurgical | Number of Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liposuction | 31,453 | Botox Injection | 225,099 |
| Rhinoplasty | 30,174 | Laser Hair Removal | 179,708 |
| Eyelid Surgery | 28,678 | Hyaluronic Acid (including Hylaform, Juvederm, Perlane/Restylane) | 62,428 |
| Gynecomastia | 19,124 | IPL Laser Treatment | 46,887 |
| Hair Transplantation | 18,062 | Microdermabrasion | 39,824 |
Men had over 8% of cosmetic procedures. The number of procedures (surgical and nonsurgical) performed on men was over 800,000 a decrease of over 21% from the previous year. Surgical procedures decreased 18%; nonsurgical procedures decreased 22%. Since 1997, surgical procedures have decreased over 15% while nonsurgical procedures have increased 239%.
Procedures by Age Group
Frequency of cosmetic procedures by age group:
| Percentage of Total | Age | Number of Procedures | Top Surgical Procedure | Top Nonsurgical Procedure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 35-50 | 4.6 million | Liposuction | Botox |
| 26 | 51-64 | 2.7 million | Eyelid Surgery | Botox |
| 22 | 19-34 | 2.2 million | Breast Augmentation | Laser Hair Removal |
| 6 | 65 and over | 634,667 | Eyelid Surgery | Botox |
| 2 | 18 and under | 160,283 | Rhinoplasty | Laser Hair Removal |
Racial and Ethnic Distribution
Racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 20% of all cosmetic procedures in 2008. Hispanics again led minority racial and ethnic groups in the number of procedures: Hispanics 8%, African-Americans 6%, Asians 4% and other non-Caucasians 2%.
Location and Fees
Over 53% of cosmetic procedures in 2008 were performed in office-based facilities 26% in freestanding surgicenters and 19% in hospitals. Americans spent just under $12 billion on cosmetic procedures; $7.2 billion was for surgical procedures, and $4.6 billion was for nonsurgical procedures.
ASAPS Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank
ASAPS, working with an independent research firm, compiled the 12-year national data for procedures performed 1997-2008. A paper-based questionnaire was mailed to 16,000 Board-Certified physicians (6,000 Dermatologists, 6,000 Otolarynologists, and 4,000 Plastic Surgeons). A total of 894 completed and valid responses (461 Plastic Surgeons, 277 Dermatologists, and 156 Otolaryngologists) were received in time for tabulation.
Final figures have been projected to reflect nationwide statistics and are based exclusively on the Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons; Otolaryngologists; and Dermatologists. The findings have been aggregated and extrapolated to the known population of 23,600 physicians who are Board Certified in these specialties. Though the confidence intervals change by procedure, depending on the grouping's sample size and the response variance, the overall survey portion of this research has a standard error of +/- 3.21% at a 95% level of confidence.