A record number of Americans are getting plastic surgery, national data has revealed.
An annual report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) showed 26.2million cosmetic and reconstructive procedures were carried out in 2022 — up 19 percent from 2019.
A cosmetic procedure involves enhancing or altering someone’s appearance. The most popular was Botox, with 8.7million procedures carried out, and filler injections, of which there were 4.8million done.
These facial procedures, which combat aging, have surged more than 70 percent since the year before the pandemic.
Cosmetic surgical procedures involving liposuction — or the removal of excess fat — were the most popular along with breast augmentation — to make the breasts larger.
Plastic surgeons said the Ozempic effect may be driving the rise, with more people getting procedures after rapid weight loss leaves them with loose skin and what has been termed Ozempic face.
The above graphic shows the top cosmetic surgical and minimally-invasive procedures of 2022, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
A record number of Americans got plastic surgery in 2022, data shows
Plastic surgeons said the record number of surgeries was likely down to people having savings after the Covid pandemic and spending them on long-coveted work.
They said social media influencers were also driving upticks in some procedures like lip augmentation, while the rising popularity of breast reductions may be linked to a desire for a more active and healthy lifestyle.
Plastic surgery was also becoming increasingly ‘less stigmatized’, they added, as more celebrities and social media influencers were pictured with the alterations.
Famous examples include Kylie Jenner, who was mentioned in the report, and Madonna who has had at least 12 procedures.
Dr Gregory Greco, president of the ASPS, said this year’s report ‘supports the larger trend of the public’s growing desire to look and feel better in their own skin’.
‘As interest in and acceptance of plastic surgery grows, ASPS member surgeons remain committed to upholding rigorous standards of safety and the continued prioritization of patient and provider education.’
The data was based on reports of procedures submitted by the Society’s 8,000 members — representing 92 percent of all plastic surgeons in the US.
They also used data from the databases CosmetAssure and PatientNow.
Rounding out the top five procedures were skin resurfacings — at 3.3million — where the top layer of skin is removed to stimulate the growth of new skin underneath and fight aging.
Skin treatments — such as using lasers to treat skin — were fourth at 2.9million, while lip augmentations — or enlargements — were fifth at 1.4million.
All these procedures were seeing rises in the number performed compared to previous years.
In the report, they said lip augmentations were more than just a ‘fairweather fad’ — with public interest likely being driven by celebrities like Kylie Jenner and influencers on social media.
‘Ozempic face’ could also be behind a growing interest in procedures like botox, filler and face lifts.
Ozempic can cause sudden weight loss which may leave patients with loose or sagging skin. This can be resolved through plastic surgery.
The report says: ‘The rise of rapid weight loss attributed to medications like Ozempic introduced a phenomenon colloquially termed “Ozempic face”, where the face exhibits more pronounced signs of aging due to rapid and significant weight loss.
‘While it’s early to predict the implications of this trend on plastic surgery, ASPS is currently monitoring its possible impacts.’
The above graphic shows the increases in procedures compared to 2019. The largest growth was in breast reductions, which may be linked to a desire to lead a more active lifestyle
For cosmetic surgical procedures, tummy tucks or abdominoplasty were third with 161,000 procedures completed in 2022.
They were followed by breast lifts or mastopexy at 143,000 and eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty at 115,000.
Among reconstructive procedures, tumor removal was the most common with 344,000 carried out.
It was followed by hand surgery (204,000), breast reconstruction (151,000), maxillofacial surgery to adjust the jaw (52,000) and scar revision (51,000).
More than 90 percent of the procedures were carried out on women, surgeons suggested, although there is a growing trend of men coming forward for them.
Patients were most likely to get procedures to the places they could ‘see first’ in the mirror — such as the face and neck.
Plastic surgeons said in 2022 there was particular focus on the area around the eyes, which may be linked to more people wearing face masks.
The uptick in procedures for removing fat may also be linked to the Covid pandemic, they said, when many people gained weight due to a more sedentary lifestyle.
Dr Greco said: ‘Board-certified plastic surgeons are able to provide a number of options, both surgical and minimally invasive, for patients to feel their best after lifestyle changes that have impacted their weight.
‘ASPS member surgeons can work with patients to create a personalized solution that prioritizes safety and promotes efficacy.’
People were also getting adjustments based on what they were seeing in celebrities and social media influencers, the report added.
They said social media had also helped to make the operations ‘less stigmatized’ and lead to more coming forward for the operations.
On what was driving the uptick, they said that savings from the Covid pandemic were playing a key role.
A spokeswoman said: ‘Patients are no longer putting off the procedures they have been considering, which may be attributed to more time spent working from home and the flexibility hybrid work schedules offer patients for recovery.’
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