Cosmetic Procedures Shift to Facial Focus in 2012

The tides are changing! The American Society of Plastic Surgeons released their 2012 Plastic Surgery Statistics detailing the number of plastic and cosmetic procedures performed last year and, for the first time in six years, there was a decline in breast enhancement and buttocks augmentation. Cosmetic enhancement has shifted upward – to the face – with an increase in facelifts, injections (Botox, Dysport, and dermal fillers), and facial laser services in 2012.

Almost 1.6 million cosmetic surgeries were performed, a 2% drop from 2011, but still a staggering amount (if you really stop to think about it). Here is a review of cosmetic surgeries in 2012:

  • Breast augmentation saw a 7% decline from the year before, but remained the number one cosmetic procedure with just over 286,000 breast enhancements performed.
  • Buttocks enhancement (including implants and lifts) grew in popularity over the last decade, but declined last year by 36%, with just under 3,800 procedures done.
  • Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) shot up to over 204,000 in 2012, roughly 9,000 more procedures than were done in 2011, making it the 3rd most popular surgical procedure overall.
  • Facelift surgery also rose to over 126,000 procedures, almost 7,000 more than 2011.
  • Rhinoplasty remained consistent and was the number two cosmetic surgery procedure performed overall with just over 242,000 people opting for a re-shaped nose.
More than 13 million minimally-invasive procedures were done in 2012, with botulinum injections at the top of the list:
  • More than 6 million treatments of Botox or Dysport injections were given in 2012, an 8% rise from the previous year. 
  • Dermal filler procedures, including Radiesse, Juvederm, Restylane (and others), rose to just under 2 million treatments, making it the second most popular minimally-invasive procedure of 2012.
  • Chemical peels (1,133,821 treatments) and Laser Hair Removal (1,118,254 treatments) took 3rd and 4th places.
  • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatments increased by 10% to 553,000.
  • Just over 509,000 laser skin resurfacing procedures were performed, a 9% increase from 2011. 
The popularity of minimally-invasive procedures has grown over the years for many reasons. Most of the procedures are instantly gratifying with little or no downtime. While they are readily affordable for most budgets, they do not provide long term results (such as cosmetic surgery can), but they do provide people with an opportunity to see how they would look with a renewed, more youthful appearance (such as erasing wrinkles and fines lines, plumping cheeks or lips). The ability to see this temporary change in appearance helps people envision how they may look when it is done by cosmetic surgery and thus makes a person’s decision to have facial cosmetic surgery an easier one. 
Santa Barbara cosmetic surgeon Dr. Terry Perkins expertly performs many cosmetic surgeries including facelifts, eyelid lift surgery, and rhinoplasty. He also does minimally-invasive procedures such as Botox, Dysport, and dermal fillers at his Cosmetic Surgery Center practice or at his medical spa – Evolutions. Evolutions Medical Spa in Santa Barbara provides a wide array of skin care services, including Botox, Dysport, chemical peels, laser facials, and laser hair removal. View a complete list of medical and aesthetic treatments on the Evolutions website. 

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