We are seeing that from an early age, men and women alike are increasingly visiting the operating room to improve their looks. Cosmetic surgeries are fast becoming a common solution for a culture that idealizes physical perfection. Be it for personal or professional reasons, more than 15 million cosmetic surgeries were performed in 2012 all over the world, and for the second consecutive year the United States is at the top of the list.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) conducted a survey of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in the United States in 2012. These are the results:
Photo: Hongqi Zhang / 123RF Stock Photo.
Breast augmentation moved to the top in 2012, after finishing second the previous year. It was the most requested operation in the United States, with 50,000 procedures more than in 2011. The total number of implants in 2012 was 369,928.
On the other hand, the number of liposuctions decreased: 313,011 in 2012 compared to 352,332 in 2011. The difference may attributed to the availability of new treatments (Vaser Shape, CoolSculpting and Liposonix) that rival liposuction. More Americans are opting for less invasive procedures, even when those don’t deliver the same immediate results.
Facelifts are still in great demand. The survey shows the number of procedures at 119,006 in 2012, compared to 116,086 in 2011. It is still a respectable number, especially if you consider the proliferation of non-surgical techniques like laser treatments and injectables. Botox is the most popular, and more than 3,257,913 patients received these injections in the privacy of their favorite clinic or spa.
Otoplasty (ear surgery) and Rhinoplasty (nose jobs) are more popular than ever, especially with younger patients.
One of the main reasons to go under the knife is weight loss, and the options to shed unwanted fat bypass the gym. The most popular treatments in this field are: body contouring, lower body lift, abdominoplasty, and fat reduction in the upper arms.
But plastic surgery is no longer only for women. In 2012 there was a dramatic rise in the number Gynecomastia (male breast reduction). According to Dr. Ornelio García, spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, “since 1997 male cosmetic surgeries have seen an increase of 106 %”. The five most frequent procedures performed on men were: liposuction, rhinoplasty, gynecomastia, and eye and ear surgeries.
Photo: Piotr Marcinski / 123RF Stock Photo.
“Many people resort to plastic surgery because they want to have Scarlett Johansson‘s lips or Natalie Portman‘s cheekbones”, says Dr. Anthony Youn, but according to Dr. Sam Assassa of Beverly Hills, Angelina Jolie still ranks number one as the iconic reference. ■
