The demand for plastic surgery continues to grow steadily, with new products and technological advances giving people interested in a cosmetic boost more options than ever before, according to the 2013 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons on February 26, 2014. The journal reports that nearly 21 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States last year. This is a 3 percent increase in cosmetic surgery procedures and a 2 percent increase in reconstructive surgeries over the previous year.
Facial rejuvenation procedures like facelifts, eyelid surgery, forehead lifts, fillers and peels were some of the most in-demand services. Among minimally invasive procedures, injections of botulinum toxins topped the list of procedures performed. Soft tissue fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal, and microdermabrasion procedures rounded out the top five. Hyaluronic acid was an especially popular filler with an 18 percent increase in the number of procedures done last year.
The top five cosmetic surgical procedures included breast augmentation, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction and facelift. Thanks in part to new form-stable silicone implants, which can offer very natural results, silicone was the clear choice of breast augmentation patients with 72 percent of women electing to use silicone implants. Statistics for newer procedures also demonstrated their increasing popularity. Buttock augmentations with fat grafting increased more than 15 percent in 2012; the number of neck lifts performed rose by 6 percent.
Seattle plastic surgeon Dr. Shahram Salemy is seeing evidence of the same trends noted in the society’s report. “The demand for facial rejuvenation procedures and breast augmentations is increasing, with silicone implants much more commonly requested by patients than saline ones. We are also seeing a significant uptick in tummy tucks as well.” The multi-award-winning doctor expects the steady increase in demand for cosmetic procedures to continue. “As the economy improves, more people are investing in their aesthetic goals. They feel more comfortable splurging on themselves.”
An ABMS board-certified plastic surgeon with offices in Seattle and Richland, Washington, Dr Salemy is consistently ranked as “One of America’s Top Plastic Surgeons” by The Consumers Research Council of America. His experience, pedigree and dedication to providing every single patient with positive, lasting results is one of the reasons he received a prestigious appointment to serve as a Clinical Instructor for the Department of Surgery’s Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of Washington.
For a personalized consultation regarding a tummy tuck, breast augmentation or facial rejuvenation procedure, call (206) 467-1101 or email Dr. Salemy’s Seattle office.
