The demand for cosmetic procedures remains strong as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) releases its fifteenth consecutive year of multi-specialty procedural statistics. Since 1997 the ASAPS has been educating both plastic surgeons and patients about trends in the plastic surgery industry.

“For fifteen years these statistics have been a large part of the Aesthetic Society’s public education mission,” said Jeffrey M. Kenkel, MD, President of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. “Since 1997, the interest in and demand for cosmetic plastic surgery has risen exponentially and our comprehensive statistics continue to show that.”

In the past year, plastic surgery procedures increased by nearly 1 percent across the U.S. The most popular cosmetic surgeries were as follows: liposuction (325,332), breast augmentation (316,848), abdominoplasty (149,410), eyelid surgery (147,540) and breast lift (127,054).

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures, which accounted for 82 percent of all cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. in 2011, saw a 2 percent decrease over the past year. The most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedures were as follows: botulinum toxin type A (2,619,739), hyaluronic acid (1,206,186), laser hair removal (919,802), microdermabrasion (499,427) and IPL laser treatment (439,161).

In 2011, cosmetic procedures were popular for men and women; however, it’s clear that cosmetic surgery remains a female dominated consumer industry. Of all cosmetic procedures performed last year, 91 percent were elected by female patients.

With current trends, the rate of cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. is likely to continue to see growth, especially as more and more baby boomers begin to notice signs of aging. Surgical cosmetic procedures in particular are likely to see the greatest increase in years to come.

“Growth in demand will likely continue to grow as baby boomers and their offspring begin to explore surgical options,” said Dr. Kenkel. “Minimally-invasive procedures such as Botox and soft tissue fillers work to a point. However, as you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin and reshape the underlying tissues are necessary in order to show significant improvement.”

Learn more about liposuction, abdominoplasty and other cosmetic procedures in New Haven.