Americans spent over $13.5 billion last year on cosmetic procedures, surgical and non-surgical, according to a report by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Here are the top five surgical procedures:
Liposuction uses a small tube to vacuum out excess fat from various areas of the body, such as belly or underarms.
This surgery enhances the size of the breasts with saline or silicone implants. Many women choose to have implants after undergoing mastectomies for breast cancer.
Not to be confused with liposuction, tummy tucks remove excess skin from the lower stomach area, above the pubic line, and tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. Women can have liposuction in conjunction with this procedure in certain cases.
Eyelid surgery can occur on the upper or lower eyelids. It removes hanging skin on the upper eyes, which can obstruct vision, and it reduces under-eye puffiness or a sunken look.
Breast lifts remove excess skin and tighten sagging breasts, which can be caused by pregnancy, nursing and aging.
“Surgical correction is still the best option when looking to change something cosmetically,” said Dr. Rondi Walker, a plastic surgeon based in Washington, DC. ”Among the patients who opt for surgical enhancement, the most common procedures I perform are blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), rhinoplasty (nose shape correction), and abdominoplasty (tummy tucks). I’m also seeing more men in my practice, as well as younger patients, so the ‘stigma’ of plastic surgery appears to be disappearing.”
