Shifting Faces of Hollywood and Plastic Surgery

The ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgery) has released new data showing the shifting demand among plastic surgery procedure choices. Face lifts and Botox are no longer the most popularly requested procedures. Here is their official 2015 summary:

Procedures with Most Growth in Demand

• Breast lifts: up 89 percent (99,614 in 2015, up from 52,836 in 2000)
• Buttock lifts: up 252 percent (4,767 in 2015, up from 1,356 in 2000)
• Lower body lifts: up 3,973 percent (8,431 in 2015, up from 207 in 2000)
• Upper arm lifts: up 4,959 percent (17,099 in 2015, up from 338 in 2000)

Top 5 Most Popular Procedures

1. Breast augmentation: (279,143 procedures, down 2 percent from 2014, up 31 percent from 2000)
2. Liposuction: (222,051 procedures, up 5% from 2014 but down 37 percent from 2000)
3. Nose reshaping: (217,979 procedures, unchanged from 2014, down 44 percent since 2000)
4. Eyelid surgery: (203,934 procedures, down 1 percent from 2014, down 38 percent since 2000)
5. Tummy tuck: (127,967 procedures, up 9 percent from 2014 and 104 percent since 2000)

While most would simply look at this data and shrug, a closer look yields a strange observation. What’s odd is the fact that Botox and Facelifts are nowhere to be seen in the top 5 list of most popular procedures. If you have been keeping up to date with the plastic surgery biz, then you would be aware that both procedures have dominated the market for years. Tummy tucks and breast augmentation used to be one of the least popular procedures and was riddled with complications and side effects that sometimes caused fatalities upon unsuspecting patients.

Breast augmentation has become the most popular procedure in America today and it has definitely come a long way. Advancements in medical techniques and technology has made both procedures more reliable and appealing to potential patients. One huge factor which may also be helping to drive this shift is Hollywood.

The box office entertainment capital of the world has no shortage of influential icons like Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj and Ariel Winter. These celebrities help drive what’s hot and what’s not in our society –even in plastic surgery. Kim and Nicki have made butt lift and augmentation a booming business and the statistics proves it. A 252% increase in demand since 2000 is a tremendous growth especially in terms of surgery. Ariel Winter brought light to the benefits of breast reduction and the demand for it has almost doubled this year.

The old saying of “when in Rome do as the Romans do,” has never been more true in this case. People are once again clamoring for what they think they need, all because countless advertisements featuring popular celebrities have convinced them to get the procedures.

If you are reading this post and thinking about getting plastic surgery, the most important thing to remember is that just because big butts are in today doesn’t mean it will make you happy in the long run. What society sees as sexy is often subject to change so you don’t want to be spending thousands of dollars on a plastic surgery procedure that will be out of fashion in just a few years. Instead, stick to what YOU think your body or face should look like and stop trying to emulate a different person. Remember what your parents told you as a child and “just be yourself, honey.”

- KT