Growing Old Gracefully? 11 Percent Increase In Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures In 2005

Main Category: Cosmetic Medicine / Plastic Surgery
Article Date: 19 Mar 2006 - 19:00 PDT


More than 10.2 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in the United States in 2005, up 11 percent from 2004, according to statistics released today by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). In addition, more than 5.4 million reconstructive plastic surgery procedures were performed last year, reports the ASPS.

"The statistics show that in a solid economy, more Americans are willing to invest in anti-aging remedies such as cosmetic plastic surgery," said ASPS President Bruce Cunningham, MD. "For many, cosmetic plastic surgery is the new take on 'growing old gracefully'."

Surgical cosmetic procedures increased 4 percent, with more than 1.8 million procedures performed in 2005. The top five surgical procedures were liposuction (324,000), nose reshaping (298,000), breast augmentation (291,000), eyelid surgery (231,000), and tummy tuck (135,000). This is the first time in six years facelifts did not make the top five surgical procedures, according to ASPS statistics.

"The facelift is still a highly sought after procedure, nearly 109,000 were performed last year," noted Dr. Cunningham. "However, the fact it didn't make the top five surgical procedures can be attributed to increased consumer demand for minimally-invasive injectable wrinkle fillers and fighters as a remedy to combat facial aging."

Minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures jumped 13 percent to nearly 8.5 million procedures performed in 2005. The top five minimally-invasive procedures were Botox® (3.8 million), chemical peel (1 million), microdermabrasion (838,000), laser hair removal (783,000), and sclerotherapy (590,000). This is the fourth consecutive year that these minimally-invasive procedures have been ranked in the top five.

Reconstructive plastic surgery, which improves function and appearance to abnormal areas of the body, remained relatively stable in 2005. The top five reconstructive procedures were tumor removal (3.9 million), laceration repair (344,000), scar revision (181,000), hand surgery (172,000) and breast reduction (114,000).

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To obtain a full report of the 2005 National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Statistics, which includes trending data on gender, age, geography, surgeons fees, ethnicity and more, contact ASPS Public Relations.

Since 2003, statistics have been collected through the first online national database for plastic surgery procedures, Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons (TOPS). This data, combined with the annual survey sent to more than 17,000 board-certified physicians in specialties most likely to perform plastic surgery, results in the most comprehensive census on plastic surgery procedures.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Contact: LaSandra Cooper
lpc@plasticsurgery.org
American Society of Plastic Surgeons

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