A record number of people have had cosmetic surgery last year with more than 50-thousand people going under the knife in Britain, according to data released by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
It also shows that for the first time the number of men opting for procedures, went up by a greater percentage than the number of women.
There was a sharp increase in the popularity of cosmetic surgery in the UK in 2015, figures show.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) said there were 51,140 surgical procedures last year – up from 45,406 the year before.
It overturns a recent decline, which was blamed on the recession and the scandal over faulty breast implants.
Nine out of 10 procedures were in women, although the rise was seen in both genders.
The top 10 procedures were:
- Breast augmentation up 12% to 9,652
- Eyelid surgery up 12% to 8,689
- Face and neck lifts up 16% to 7,419
- Breast reductions up 13% to 6,246
- Liposuction up 20% to 5,551
- Nose jobs up 14% to 4,205
- Fat transfer operations up 3% to 3,261
- Tummy tucks up 8% to 2,933
- Browlifts up 7% to 2,110
- Ear corrections up 14% to 1,074
Overall, the number of procedures increased by 13%.
Consultant plastic surgeon and Baaps council member Ash Mosahebi said many reasons were contributing to the increase.
He told the BBC: “I think partly because the economy is improving and people are spending more on luxury items.
“And social media is becoming more popular, people are sending pictures of themselves frequently and want to look good.
“And I would say the Botox generation who got older using Botox and fillers, those things are not working any more for those age groups so they’re taking the next step up and that is surgical options.”
However, he said people were more educated about cosmetic surgery after thousands of women were fitted with substandard breast implants made by the French firm Poly Implant Prothese.
“I have patients asking, ‘What are you using?’ and that’s a good thing to have come out of that.”
According to the report, while breast augmentation continues to remain the most popular procedure for women (up 12% from 2014), the oversized “glamour model” look once associated with implants has all but vanished, as surgeons note patients now opting for smaller sizes for a more natural, proportionate enhancement.
For women, face and neck lifts are also up 16% in the last year and liposuction is up by 20%.
Men also underwent substantially more facial procedures in 2015 than 2014, with face and neck lifts climbing 14%, brow lifts (up 15.5%), eyelid surgery (up 15%), and rhinoplasty (up 14%) all gaining huge popularity.
According to consultant plastic surgeon and former BAAPS President Rajiv Grover, who collated the audit data: “The audit has shown that demand for cosmetic surgery continues to increase following the quieter period in 2014 which mirrored the British economy.
“The double digit rise in surgical procedures suggests that the public are choosing to spend on treatments with a proven track record such as facelifts and liposuction which remain as the gold standard for facial rejuvenation and body contouring.
“The plethora of new non-invasive methods for skin tightening and cellulite that are here today and gone tomorrow, often appear too good to be true and fail to make the cut.”
He added: “Perhaps the decline of the ‘hyper-masculine’ look fashionable last year which has given way to a sharper, more slimline shape has influenced men – and it certainly appears both genders seem encouraged by a new openness in glamorous celebrities admitting they have had ‘a little surgical help’ to enhance their looks.
“There is a danger however that this presents the image of cosmetic surgery as a commodity, so the public must always be warned that an operation is not something that can simply be returned to the shop if you don’t like it.”
Consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS President Michael Cadier added: “There’s no doubt that we are seeing an increase in demand for cosmetic surgery from both men and women.
“Whether this is inspired by celebrity culture and a recognition that the results of modern aesthetic procedures in the right hands can be subtle, natural-looking and attractive, what is most important is for patients to remember that surgery is on the whole life-changing and irreversible – far from a trivial ‘status symbol’ beauty treatment.
“The decision to undergo surgery must be well thought-out, with managed expectations, understanding the risks through fully informed consent and; most importantly; choosing the right specialist provider who is properly trained and accredited.”
Culled from BBCNews & Hufington Post
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