Recent Trends in Plastic Surgery – New Jersey Surgeon Offers Insight
Plastic surgery data can be very interesting. Since many of the procedures are cosmetic in nature, they shed light on changing preferences and social standards. South Korea, for instance, is the world leader when it comes to plastic surgery, with up to 50% of the nation’s women aged 19-29 having undergone at least one cosmetic procedure.
When it comes to America, breast augmentation and fat reduction procedures continue to stay on the top spot – which says a lot about current beauty standards. In addition, most people undergoing cosmetic surgical procedures are female, which is interesting in and of itself.
Now let’s take a look at recent data, to see emerging trends in the field of plastic surgery. The numbers in this article are from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), which we’ll discuss in detail in a minute.
In this post, we’ll take a look at the stats from 2018 and see what they tell us about plastic surgery, with New Jersey surgeon Dr. Berlet providing insight based on his 20+ years of experience.
First things first – what is ASPS?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is, in their own words, “the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. Founded in 1931, the Society represents 93% of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the U.S., and more than eight thousand plastic surgeons worldwide, making ASPS a global institution and leading authority on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.”
They collect and release plastic surgery statistics from year to year.Various graphs, press releases and reports are made available to the public for education and research purposes. They have an archive going back 13 years on their website.
Do ‘plastic surgery’ and ‘cosmetic surgery’ mean the same?
The terms are often used interchangeably in conversation, but they actually mean two different things. While cosmetic surgery refers to procedures performed for cosmetic purposes (e.g., breast augmentation, liposuction), the reconstruction of body parts after disease or trauma (e.g., breast reconstruction) is called plastic surgery. New Jersey surgeon Dr. Berlet says patients often confuse the two – perhaps due to popularization of the latter term in celebrity culture. For the purposes of this article, however, we have used the two terms as synonyms.
A third term which people often include under the umbrella of ‘plastic surgery’ is non-surgical or minimally invasive procedures. These are so named because they don’t involve surgery and are therefore not very invasive. Some popular non-surgical procedures include BOTOX injections, facial fillers, and laser hair removal.
Recent trends in cosmetic surgery
In a recent press release, ASPS said the number of cosmetic procedures (both surgical and minimally invasive) performed has been climbing steadily the last five years. Now the stats for 2018 are in, and in the last year over 17.7 million cosmetic procedures were performed – with 1.8 million being surgical procedures, and 15.9 million being minimally-invasive procedures.
17.7 million is an increase of nearly a quarter of a million procedures since the previous year. That is a substantial number. So now, let’s dive into the details and see what procedures people were most interested in, and which procedures were more or less popular in 2018.
The most-requested surgeries
According to the data released by ASPS, the top five cosmetic surgeries performed in 2018 were:
– Breast augmentation
Breast augmentation continues to reign at the top spot, with 313,735 of these surgeries being performed last year. That is an increase of roughly 4% since 2017. To learn more about breast augmentation, you can read our recent blog post here.
– Liposuction
Liposuction is a procedure in which a slim tube (cannula) is inserted into your body through incisions, and moved back and forth to loosen fat. The fat is then removed by suction. This procedure was performed a total of 258,558 times last year, which was a 5% increase.
– Nose reshaping
Rhinoplasty or nose reshaping is another popular surgical procedure, with 213,780 surgeries being performed in 2018. If you’re interested in getting nose reshaping plastic surgery in New Jersey, you can click here to read more.
– Eyelid surgery
This procedure is performed to correct drooping eyelids, which can give you a tired, aged look. 206,529 eyelifts (or eyelid surgeries) were performed in 2018, which is down 1% from the previous year. Eyelid surgery can be performed both on the upper and lower eyelids, as per the patient’s needs.
– Tummy tuck
Also known as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck involves reshaping the abdominal area and removing excess skin. 2017 saw a 2% increase in the number of tummy tucks performed but 2018 saw no significant change, with 130,081 tummy tuck procedures throughout the year.
The most-requested non-surgical procedures
According to the report from ASPS, the top five minimally-invasive procedures performed in 2018 were:
– Botulinum Toxin Type A
Botulinum Toxin, or BOTOX injections, were the most popular procedure in this category. 7.44 million BOTOX procedures were performed last year, which is a 3% increase compared to 2017. It’s not surprising, considering the many benefits of BOTOX. For more information about the procedure and what it entails, read our post about BOTOX.
– Soft tissue fillers
Soft tissue fillers came second by a large margin, with 2.68 million procedures being performed in the year. That is a 2% increase since the previous year. If you’re looking for a reliable doctor for plastic surgery in New Jersey, Dr. Berlet is an excellent choice.
– Chemical peel
This procedure, which entails the application of a chemical solution to the skin to treat scars, discoloration and wrinkles was performed 1.38 million times in 2018. That was a 1% increase compared to 2017.
– Laser hair removal
Laser hair removal has been popular for many years, due to the many benefits it offers. Last year, 1.1 million laser hair removal procedures were performed across the country. The change from the previous year is -1%.
– Microdermabrasion
This procedure is done to improve the skin tone and texture. It also helps remove fine lines, wrinkles, acne, and reduce the signs of sun damage. 2018 saw a noticeable drop in their demand, with 709,413 procedures being performed throughout the year – which is a change of -4%.
The trend towards body modification
You’ll have noticed that of the top 5 surgical procedures three were focused on the body, while only two were facial surgeries. Breast augmentation and liposuction aren’t new to the top spot. As Alan Matarasso, the President of ASPS says: “Liposuction continues to be the gold standard in body contouring because of its versatility, efficiency and effectiveness.”
Because of the trend towards body shaping procedures, 2018 has been named the “Year of the Body” by ASPS.
Experts think that the reduced interest in facial surgeries might be because there are simpler, less-invasive options available today. There is no real substitute for liposuction or breast augmentation, but there are non-surgical alternatives for a rhinoplasty. However, they do not as yet know what may have caused an increased interest in the two body-related procedures.
Cosmetic surgery is often performed to conform to current beauty standards. Meeting those standards gives people a confidence boost and helps them succeed in life – whether it’s at work, or in romantic relationships.
Undergoing plastic surgery in New Jersey
If you’re looking for a skilled plastic surgeon in the Bergen County area, schedule a consultation with Dr. Berlet today! Dr. Berlet has been in practice as a New Jersey plastic surgeon for over 20 years in Essex County, Bergen County, and the surrounding areas and has developed a large clientele from around the country and abroad.
He has formed a very strong reputation as a plastic surgeon due to his breadth of expertise in a wide array of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery procedures. He has been recognized repeatedly as a “Top Doctor” by New York and New Jersey Magazine as well as Castle Connolly for the New York Metropolitan area. His clients consist of many high-profile people in the entertainment industry including many models and centerfolds.
Dr. Berlet has a thriving practice that specializes in a broad-spectrum of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. He has a particular interest and talent in facial aesthetics, as well as breast and body contouring. Dr. Berlet also has developed a significant reputation for his reconstructive surgical abilities, and he re-builds breasts following cancer treatment using a variety of state-of-the-art techniques.
Dr. Berlet is board-certified in both plastic and general surgery, which has given him a broad base of surgical expertise. Dr. Berlet completed his medical school education and plastic surgery residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, with an additional internship and general surgery residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. These solid credentials are supplemented by Dr. Berlet’s undergraduate training in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an honors graduate. His blend of art, design, and highly developed surgical skills truly set Dr. Berlet apart within the field of plastic surgery