The Latest Global Survey from ISAPS Reports a Rise in Aesthetic Surgery Worldwide 

Total surgical and non-surgical procedures increased by 11.2% 

MOUNT ROYAL, N.J.,  September 1 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) released the results of its annual Global Survey on Aesthetic/Cosmetic Procedures this week at the ISAPS Olympiad Athens World Congress 2023, which brought together more than 1,000 attendees from 90 countries to discuss the latest scientific research, innovations and techniques to improve patient safety in aesthetic plastic surgery.   

The report shows a 11.2% overall increase in procedures performed by plastic surgeons in 2022 with more than 14.9 million surgical and 18.8 million non-surgical procedures performed worldwide. 

Highlights 

The report shows a continuing rise in aesthetic surgery with a 41.3% increase over the last four years. 

Both surgical and non-surgical procedures showed increases since the last survey (16.7% and 7.2% respectively) with a significant increase of 57.8% in non-surgical procedures in the last four years. 

Aesthetic Procedures 

Liposuction was the most common surgical procedure in 2022 as in 2021, with more than 2.3 million procedures and a 21.1% increase. The top five surgical procedures were liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty and breast lift that replaces rhinoplasty among the top five. The most popular non-surgical procedures are botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, hair removal, chemical peel and non-surgical fat reduction. Chemical peel enters the top five replacing non-surgical skin tightening. 

Breast augmentation remains the most common surgical procedure for women, with 2.2 million procedures and a significant increase of 29% compared to 2021. All breast procedures show notable growth from the previous year, with more than 4.4 million procedures on breast and a 25% increase. 

Buttock Augmentation shows the biggest increase in surgical procedures with 820,762 performed and a 56.8% increase. Overall, body and extremities procedures increased by 25.3%. Face and head procedures remain the most popular ones, although with only a slight increase of 4.3% due to a slight decrease in the most common procedures: eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and lip enhancement/perioral procedure. Eyelid surgery is replaced by liposuction as the most popular surgical procedure among men.  

Commenting on global results, Dr. Gianluca Campiglio, Global Survey Editor and plastic surgeon in Italy said, “Despite obvious cultural and social differences from country to country that make certain procedures more requested in some geographical areas and less in other parts of the world, the results of the survey show a significant global increase in all the surgical and non-surgical procedures aimed to improve the aesthetic appearance of the body. I think this is largely due to the use of masks for much of 2022”. 

Most breast augmentations (54.6% of the total) and rhinoplasties (66.7%) took place in 18–34-year-olds, whereas botulinum toxin injectables and liposuction were most popular among those aged 35–50 (47.9% and 43.3% of the total). 

Botulinum toxin remains the most common non-surgical procedure for both men and women and across all age groups, with more than 9 million procedures performed by plastic surgeons worldwide and a 26.1% increase. In second place, hyaluronic acid procedures decreased to 4.3 million. 

85.7% of the total number of aesthetic procedures are performed in women, with procedures performed in men increasing by 18%. Dr. Campiglio said, “Requests of surgical reduction of male breast, for example, are more and more common worldwide”.  

Country Statistics 

Once again, the US performed the most procedures worldwide with over 7.4 million procedures, 22% of the procedures, followed by Brazil (8.9%) who is first in surgical procedures, and Japan (7.3%). The US and Brazil are estimated to have the most plastic surgeons, followed by Asian countries with Japan in third place, China in fourth, and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in fifth. 

Surgical procedures continue to be performed primarily in hospitals (47.4% worldwide) or office facilities (31.1%). On average, the countries seeing the highest proportion of foreign patients are Mexico, Colombia, Thailand and Turkey. 

Innovation, Research and Patient Safety 

More than 1,000 attendees from 90 countries are meeting in Athens (Greece) this week to discuss the latest scientific research, innovations and patient safety issues in aesthetic plastic surgery. Breast implants, eyelid surgery, liposuction and rhinoplasty are some of the most discussed procedures at the Congress. According to Dr. Paraskevas (Vakis) Kontoes, ISAPS Board of Director, Co-Chair of the Congress and plastic surgeon in Greece, “ISAPS Athens Olympiad World Congress 2023 brings together some of the top international plastic surgeons to discuss the latest research, innovation and trends on aesthetic, surgical and non-surgical procedures to improve patient safety”. Dr. Kontoes also added, “There is no doubt that the ISAPS Olympiad Athens World Congress 2023 is the leading global event of the year in aesthetic plastic surgery”. 

Dr. Lina Triana, ISAPS President said, “As ISAPS surgeons, we are working to inspire and nurture excellence in Aesthetic Education Worldwide® for the safety of our patients in times when medical procedures abroad are increasingly popular and regulation and safety guidelines differ significantly from place to place”. 

About ISAPS – The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) is the world’s leading professional body for board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeons with the mission to inspire and nurture Aesthetic Education Worldwide® for the safety of patients. Founded in 1970, ISAPS provides an open forum for the exchange of aesthetic plastic surgery knowledge worldwide. The Society offers its members up-to-date training and continuing education and sponsors and endorses scientific meetings regularly throughout the world. Today, ISAPS membership includes the world’s most respected aesthetic and reconstructive surgeons from over 100 countries. ISAPS is the only organization to collect this type of global data annually.  

For a copy of the survey detailed results, visit https://www.isaps.org/discover/media-centre/ 

For patient guidelines, please visit: https://www.isaps.org/discover/patients-home/ 

For media enquiries, please contact: media@isaps.org