New Survey Reveals Dramatic Rise In Non-Invasive Procedures In Facial Plastic Surgery

Board certified facial plastic
surgeons are meeting Americans' demands for quicker results and less
recovery time, according to a new survey by the American Academy of Facial
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). The annual poll of 1,336 of
the organization's member surgeons found that there was a 69% increase
among women and an astonishing 91% increase among men undergoing
non-surgical facial plastic surgery since 2000.


"We're seeing that minimally invasive-type treatments that offer
patients less 'downtime' are increasing in popularity," commented Peter A.
Hilger, MD, president of the AAFPRS. "The goal is to have a nice,
natural-looking outcome -- you don't want to look like you've had surgery.
The trend toward non-invasive cosmetic procedures has allowed more
Americans to get the look they want without having to turn their busy
lifestyles upside down."



Know Before You Go



Dr. Hilger offered some advice for patients to consider when undergoing
any type of facial plastic surgery, however. "Make sure you select a board
certified surgeon who specializes in plastic surgery of the face, head and
neck," he said. "One of the most important questions a patient or parent
should ask a potential surgeon is the frequency which he or she performs a
given procedure. When seeking facial plastic surgery, patients should
understand that a board certified facial plastic surgeon's experience and
expertise focuses on plastic surgery of the face, head and neck."



With more and more people wanting to look younger and feel better and
as interest in facial plastic surgery procedures has increased, the new
AAFPRS study reveals that 86% of doctors agree that patients are more
educated about facial plastic surgery than ever before. Patients are doing
their homework, researching different physicians to find the best one for
their personal needs. Awareness of various procedures, results and recovery
time play an important role in the decision-making process. Patient
education has become progressively more prominent, making a doctor's visit
comparable to a job interview.



Educating patients is becoming one of the key roles of facial plastic
surgeons, and it's having a positive effect on both doctors and patients.
Now, patients feel more confident and comfortable with their choices to get
facial plastic surgery because they play a larger role in the process.



Men Continue to Combat Their Aging Faces



The number of men undergoing facial plastic surgery has risen over the
last couple of years, and the AAFPRS survey suggests there's no sign of
slowing down. The surge in cosmetic surgical procedures overall since 2005
is mainly attributable to an increase in male interest in taking the
initiative -- a jump of 59% last year alone. In 2006, the most common
procedure among male patients was microdermabrasion, followed by Botox(R),
hair transplants and chemical peels.
















Couples undergoing "his-and-hers" cosmetic surgery together is also
becoming a "hot" trend (47%).



Women Still Take the Lead



Women continue to be the most likely candidates for facial plastic
surgery, with 77% of all surgical procedures and 81% of non-surgical
procedures performed on women. The most common cosmetic surgical procedure
undergone by women in 2006 was blepharoplasty (eye surgery), followed by
rhytidectomy/rhytidoplasty (facelifts), lip augmentations, rhinoplasty
(nose surgery) and ablative skin resurfacing. The most common non-surgical
cosmetic procedure in 2006 performed on women was Botox(R), followed by
microdermabrasion, chemical peels and hyaluronic acid injections.



Procedures By Ethnicity



This year's AAFPRS survey results demonstrate a substantial long-term
and short-term difference in ethnic groups undergoing facial plastic
surgery. Compared to 1999, African Americans who underwent cosmetic surgery
has increased by 77%, Hispanics increased 56% and Asian American's
increased by 60%. Asian Americans demonstrated the largest growth rate
since 2005, expanding by 35% last year alone.



When compared to the other facial cosmetic procedures offered, the 2006
survey revealed that African Americans were most likely to undergo
rhinoplasty (62%) as were Hispanics (53%). Asian-Americans were most likely
receiving blepharoplasty (44%), while Caucasians opted almost equally
between blepharoplasty and rhinoplasty (32% versus 29%).



Past Years' Trends



This past year has been quite an exciting year for the field of facial
plastic surgery -- with an average of 865 facial cosmetic surgeries
performed per surgeon. Facial plastic surgery continues to grow, as new
procedures, techniques and products become available and patient interest
proliferates. Among the latest trends the AAFPRS physicians identified in
2006 were that patients received their plastic surgery as a gift (49%) and
that more and more teens are undergoing cosmetic surgery (48%).



Sadly, survey respondents also noted that 48% of their patients who had
traveled abroad for plastic surgery were returning with complications and
had to have the surgery redone.



"Consumers seeking facial plastic surgery should make sure the surgeon
to whom they entrust their face has documented education, training and
experience performing the procedures," said Dr. Hilger. "If their facial
plastic surgeon belongs to the AAFPRS, for example, they can be assured
that he or she is an experienced specialist who is up on the newest trends
and procedures."



A Look Ahead



Surgeons feel that the future for facial plastic surgery is bright,
both for themselves and the consumer. They predict more filler
introductions into the market (96%) and feel that patient safety will
continue to be a focal point in cosmetic surgery (94%). They also foresee
an increase in cosmetic surgery for ethnic populations (85%).



"We hope the results of this annual survey give some understanding of
the untiring dedication of AAFPRS members to making the highest possible
quality of facial plastic surgery available to the public," concluded Dr.
Hilger.



About the AAFPRS:



The AAFPRS is the world's largest association of facial plastic and
reconstructive surgeons with more than 2,800 members -- whose cosmetic
reconstructive surgery focuses on the face, head and neck. Academy fellows
are Board certified and subscribe to a code of ethics. In addition, the
AAFPRS provides consumers with free information and brochures and a list of
qualified facial plastic surgeons in their area by visiting the AAFPRS Web
FACEMD.


American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

FACEMD