Plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures grew substantially in popularity over the past decade, with liposuction topping the list of most popular cosmetic procedures in the United States, stated a new report from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.
More than 670 000 liposuction procedures were performed in the year 2000, a rise of 12% on 1999 and an almost 10-fold increase on 1990. The next most popular procedures were eyelid surgery (465 000) and breast augmentation (288 000). About 244 000 facelifts were performed in 2000—up from 37 000 in 1990).
The academy credits Americans' greater capacity for "discretionary spending" in the strong economy of the 1990s, as well as the ageing of baby boomers, for the increasing number of cosmetic procedures in recent years.
In addition, so called "lunch time" procedures have given the cosmetic surgery industry a shot in the arm. Many procedures such as chemical peels and injections to combat wrinkles can be done quickly (these two showed the greatest growth among cosmetic procedures between 1999 and 2000). More than 2.5 million chemical peels and wrinkle injections were performed in 2000.
The survey also found that surgeons' fees rose on average only 5% from 1990 to 2000. Three procedures declined in popularity: laser skin resurfacing, fat injections, and rhinoplasty. For the most popular procedures, average costs in 2000 were $3130 (£2090) for eyelid surgery, $434 for wrinkle injections, $4556 for breast augmentation, $3816 for liposuction, and $4109 for rhinoplasty. Among other procedures, abdominoplasty cost an average of $5310, buttock lift $4249, and facelift $5416.
About 3.5 million cosmetic surgery procedures are performed each year in the United States, with about 700 000 of them performed on men. For men, the academy notes, the most popular cosmetic procedures last year were hair transplants, liposuction, and eyelid surgery.
About a quarter of patients are aged over 51, about a third are aged 35 to 50, and about a fifth are aged 26 to 34. The rest (18%) are aged 25 and under.
The annual survey is based on data submitted by cosmetic surgeons practising in the United States. The academy is the nation's largest organisation representing practising cosmetic surgeons.