American Society of Plastic Surgeons Releases Statistics for 2011

Recently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons(ASPS) released their statistics for 2011.  The numbers continue to show an increase in the number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United States.  This uptick is thought to be related to the improvement in the overall economy.

Every year, the ASPS ask its members to submit summaries of the number and types of procedures performed for the calendar year.  The society then makes those numbers available to the public.  The statistics can be quite helpful in showing trends such as an increase in popularity of a certain class or of a particular procedure.

This year’s numbers show that an estimated 13.8 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2011.  That number includes 1.6 million surgical procedures, and 12.2 million non-invasive cosmetic procedures.   Overall, the stats showed a 5% increase in the number of cosmetic procedures performed when compared to 2010.  This was the second year in a row that an increase was seen after numbers dipped in 2009.

The top three surgical procedures were 1) breast augmentation (307,000), 2) rhinoplasty (244,000), and 3) liposuction (205,000).  The top three non-surgical cosmetic procedures were 1) botulinum injections (5.7 million), 2) dermal fillers (1.9 million), and 3) chemical peels (1.1 million).

Cosmetic plastic surgery was not the only field showing an increase in numbers.  Reconstructive procedures also rose roughly 5%.  The top three reconstructive procedures were 1) tumor removal (4.2 million), 2) laceration repair, and 3) maxillofacial surgery (195,000).