Plastic Surgery Trends Since 2009

There are as many reasons to undergo plastic surgery as there are specializations of the profession. Both men and women seek cosmetic assistance for birth defects, unforeseen accidents, and aesthetic disappointments. Gender and age are always viable arguments for trending in specific procedures. However, the reasoning and the desire cannot be predicted.

For women the surgical trends have adjusted with breast augmentation and liposuction remaining in the top slots from 2009 to 2010 while breast reduction moved up from number five to number three. Meanwhile, for men, the surgical trends have not adjusted much from liposuction and rhinoplasty leading the way in both 2009 and 2010 with ear reduction surgery replacing hair transplantation to round out the top five procedures. Further, the type of procedure pursued seems to be directly affected by the age of the men and women participating in a particular surgical or non-surgical procedure. For example, it appears that the middle-aged group of 35 to 50 is having the most cosmetic adjustments performed on their features and skin. And that trend continued from 2009 to 2010.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) releases yearly trends and demographic data of cosmetic procedures across the United States. You may or may not be surprised to notice that the body parts being operated on for both men and women differ only by how they decide to utilize the procedures. Since 2009, of the top five surgical and non-surgical operations for either gender there appears to be a mere rearrangement of the procedures. However, the significant difference lies with the numbers in which men and women flock to their local cosmetic surgeon. The number of women greatly exceeded the men in both surgical and non-surgical procedures for each consecutive year of this statistical report since 2009.

For the ASAPS organization, the surprise is that, despite the recession, the rate of plastic surgery operations has barely declined in the single digits. The interest in precluding the aging process on one's body has not wavered. There is a distinct belief in the power of confidence and beauty that can be afforded to any man or woman. Now with the rise of non-surgical options it is likely that the number of patients participating in cosmetic alterations will remain strong because of the notable lack of surgical complications and diminished cost of treatment. So in the end the trend isn't about which procedures are the most popular this year, it is the gradual growth of non-surgical options that is what we will notice.