Britain Sucks!

Over 50,000 cosmetic surgery procedures in 2013 - Liposuction up by 41%

03 February 2014 (Last updated: 27 Mar 2019 12:44)

London, UK – 3 February 2014 – The economy appears buoyant once more as austerity gives way to augmentation, with an impressive double-digit rise in all cosmetic procedures, a trend not seen since the heady pre-recession days of 2008. New statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (www.baaps.org.uk); which represents the vast majority of NHS-trained consultant plastic surgeons in private practice; today reveal that the number of cosmetic ops last year increased 17% on average since 2012 and not even one individual procedure decreased in popularity.

Despite being rocked by a worldwide implant scandal, the sector proved impossible to deflate for long, with breast surgery up just two years after the crisis by a whopping 13%. Britain is well on the way to reaching ideal figures, with a stratospheric rise in liposuction of 41%. The number of total surgical procedures in 2013 rose above 50,000 and their order of popularity for men and women combined has remained entirely unchanged for the past five years.

Highlights

Last year saw 50,122 procedures performed, a rise of 16.5% on average overall; but every one of the cosmetic ops monitored individually also showed a double-digit rise across the board. Such a significant increase has not been seen since before 2008, mirroring other UK trends (such as housing*)
The year 2013 also recorded 41% rise in liposuction procedures; possibly a backlash against the many non-surgical treatments for body contouring which may have proven less effective than advertised
Breast augmentation (‘boob jobs’) saw an increase of 13%: despite the PIP scandal, demand for the procedure doesn’t appear to have significantly diminished in the longer term. Breast augmentation remains the top surgical procedure in the UK.
Women are increasingly turning to liposuction, as the procedure increased by an impressive 43% and rising in popularity among females to 6th place from 8th place in 2012.
Antiageing procedures also continued to prove popular among men and women, with eyelid surgery up by 14%, face and neck lifts up by 13%, fat transfer (where fat is injected into the face to add volume) by 15% and brows rose by an expressive 17%
Male surgery numbers rose by 16% overall but the proportion held steady from last year, with men still accounting for one in ten (9.5%) aesthetic plastic surgery procedures.
Body contouring procedures showed the biggest increase among males, with liposuction up by 28% and gynaecomastia (or ‘man boobs’) up by a quarter (24%).

According to Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and President of the BAAPS with responsibility for the UK national audit of cosmetic surgery;

“Both the UK economy and the British public seem to be well on the way to regaining their shape with the most impressive rise in demand for cosmetic surgery we have seen since the onset of the recession in 2008. Patient confidence and also consumer confidence has returned with Britons choosing to spend on procedures with proven track records such as liposuction which remains the gold standard for body contouring. The continued double digit rise of cosmetic surgery underlines the fact that whether it is breast augmentation or antiageing procedures like facelifting the public are choosing tried and tested surgical methods rather than the magical-sounding quick fixes that fail to deliver promised results. The BAAPS has recently established the National Institute of Aesthetic Research (NIAR) based at the Royal College of Surgeons to investigate which new treatments really deliver what they say and therefore take the “hocus pocus” out of choosing a cosmetic treatment.”

According to Michael Cadier, consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS President Elect;

“The number of procedures undergone by both men and women has increased in impressive numbers; it t is encouraging to see that despite – or perhaps because of – a turbulent period in the sector, patient confidence in selecting appropriately trained and qualified surgeons is growing rapidly. At the BAAPS we continue in our mission to promote public education and safety in aesthetic plastic surgery.”

The Figures in full

Men & Women Combined

The top ten surgical procedures for men & women for 2013 (total 50,122 - an increase of 16.5%)

In order of popularity:

Breast augmentation: 11,135 – up 13% from last year
Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 7,808 – up 14%
Face/Neck Lift: 6,380 – up 13%
Breast Reduction: 5,476 – up 12.5%
Rhinoplasty: 4,878 – up 17%
Liposuction: 4,326 – up 41%
Abdominoplasty: 3,466 – up 16%
Fat Transfer: 3,302 – up 14.5%
Browlift: 2,138 – up 17%
Otoplasty (ear correction): 1,213 – up 14%

Women Only

The top ten surgical procedures for women in 2013 (45,365 total - an increase of 16.5% on 2012)

Women had 90.5% of all cosmetic procedures in 2013.

2013 figures for women in order of popularity:

Breast augmentation: 11,123 – up 13% from last year
Blepharoplasty (eyelid ops): 6,921 – up 14%
Face/Neck Lift: 6,016 – up 13%
Breast Reduction: 4,680 – up 11%
Rhinoplasty: 3,841 – up 19%
Liposuction: 3,772 – up 43% (up to 6th from 8th place in 2012)
Abdominoplasty: 3,343 – up 16% (dropped to 7th place from 6th in 2012)
Fat Transfer: 3,037 – up 15% (dropped to 8th place in 2013 from 7th)
Brow lifts: 1,962 – up 18%
Otoplasty (ear correction): 670 – up 19%

Men Only

The top ten surgical procedures for men in 2013 (4,757 total. An increase of 16% on 2012)

Men had 9.5% of all cosmetic procedures in 2013.

2013 figures for men in order of popularity:

Rhinoplasty: 1,037 – up 9% from last year
Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 887 – up 17%
Breast Reduction: 796 – up 24%
Liposuction: 554 – up 28% (up to 4th from 5th place in 2012)
Otoplasty (ear correction): 543 – up 8% (dropped to 5th place from 4th)
Face/Neck Lift: 364 – up 19%
Fat Transfer: 265 – up 10%
Brow lifts: 176 – up 18%
Abdominoplasty: 123 – up 15%
Breast augmentation: 12 – Static

Ends

About the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
The BAAPS (www.baaps.org.uk ), based at the Royal College of Surgeons, is a not-for-profit organisation, established for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit. Members undergo thorough background screening before they can join. Information about specific procedures and surgeons’ contact details can be found on the website, or by contacting their office at 020 7430 1840. Further materials can be posted to members of the public seeking specialised information. BAAPS is also on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BAAPSMedia and Facebook: www.facebook.com/BritishAssociationofAestheticPlasticSurgeons

For all media enquiries, please contact pr@baaps.org.uk

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