What were the top plastic surgery procedures of 2012? The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has yet to reveal their data, but some web analytics may hint at the final numbers.
Information is power,
and we're all about putting power in the patients' hands. LocateADoc.com went through a transformation in 2012 to ensure you the highest quality information and user experience possible. A resource designed to direct prospective patients toward the best cosmetic surgeons in their area, LocateADoc.com provides in-depth articles about specific procedures, an interactive inventory of 'before and after' pictures, and a list of surgeons by area allowing you to easily find a local doctor.
With 2012 being another big year for plastic surgery, and also a big year for LocateADoc.com, we were curious about what we would find if we compared the procedures our visitors had searched for in the past year with the database of all procedures performed in the United States in 2011, which is available on the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) website. Would our top 10 list of the 2012 most searched procedures hint at the still-unpublished (ASPS) data for 2012?
10, 9) Buttocks Augmentation (Fat Injections) & Brazilian Butt Lift
Bottoming out the list at 9 and 10 are two procedures that aim to give the behind a healthy boost. Butt injection refers to the specific part of a butt augmentation -- where fat is removed from elsewhere in the body and injected into targeted spots of the butt. The advantage of a fat transfer is that there is no risk of the body rejecting the injection, and thereby less chance of infection and complications. Of the total procedures performed in 2011 that are listed on ASPS, butt lifts totaled only 4,546. So why is this relatively rare procedure appearing on our top ten list? It's also the fastest growing. Between 2000 and 2011, the procedure has experienced a 245% increase in popularity.
8, 6) Vaginal Rejuvenation & Labiaplasty
As one of the newer procedures in today's plastic surgery landscape, vaginal rejuvenation has yet to be listed in ASPS data. Considering it came in at number 8 on LocateADoc.com searches for all of 2012, there's a chance this procedure will be performed in numbers high enough to gain the attention of the ASPS. Similarly, labiaplasty, which can be part of a vaginal rejuvenation procedure, is the sixth most searched procedure on our site but has yet to make the ASPS data lists.
7) Nose Job (Rhinoplasty)
Nose jobs are one of the oldest procedures and one of the most popular. With 243,000 nose jobs performed in 2011, this procedure is second only to breast augmentations. With a 3% drop between 2010 and 2011, rhinoplasty is one of the few procedures that is performed less now than in 2000. The position of 'nose job' in LocateADoc searches is somewhat telling, and it's possible that 2012 will see even fewer performed than 2011.
5) Buttocks Augmentation (Butt Implants)
Often performed in concert with a butt injection, butt augmentation refers to the placement of saline or silicone implants underneath the gluteal muscle. This, like Brazilian butt lifts, is a new procedure, and it remains relatively rare. With a 43% rise in popularity between 2010 and 2011, this procedure was not even listed in the year 2000. As of 2011, the ASPS listed a mere 1,149 butt implant procedures being performed.
4) Breast Lift Surgery
Chosen as an alternative to breast augmentations, which require more recovery time, breast lift procedures have been continually popular for women of all ages. In 2011 alone, 90,000 procedures were performed, and 89,000 were performed in 2010. With incredible transformative power, less recovery time, and minimal chance for complications and scarring, breast lifts look to stay a popular choice for cosmetic surgery in the year to come.
3) Breast Reduction Surgery
A cosmetic procedure that is performed when breast augmentation patients have decided to remove their implants or when women with uncomfortably large breasts have tissue surgically removed, breast reduction procedures for women with implants are on the decline. They have seen a 45% decline over the past ten years. This points to the increasing success of implants and surgeons' analysis of patients' desired results.
2) Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
The ten years between 2000 and 2010 observed an 85% increase in these procedures. In 2011, 115,000 tummy tuck procedures were performed. A tummy tuck is used to remove fat around the midsection and tighten the skin and tissue underneath. It has held steady in the past year and looks to continue to be a popular choice.
1) Breast Augmentation (Breast Implants)
The king, or queen rather, of cosmetic surgeries remains on top. Advances in breast implants technology have decreased complications, and new technology has allowed patients unprecedented foresight. Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. It rises year after year and accounts for nearly a fourth of all cosmetic procedures at 307,180 performed last year.
We hope in the coming years you continue to use LocateADoc to make all your surgical decisions. We put the power in your hands.
Have a happy and healthy New Year!
