BAAPS audit reveals 102% rise in cosmetic surgery procedures in 2022
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has released its annual audit.
The research revealed that there has been a boom in cosmetic surgery procedures, with a rise of 102% between 2021 and 2022. A total of 31,057 procedures took place in 2022, up from 15,405 in 2021.
Cosmetic surgery figures were expected to rise post-pandemic due to delayed demand, however, the numbers are higher than even pre-pandemic. In fact, 2022 saw the highest annual rise in procedures since the audit began in 2004. It’s also the first triple-digit rise ever recorded.
“The 2022 BAAPS audit shows that demand for cosmetic surgery has more than bounced back post-pandemic,” explains the president of BAAPS Marc Pacifico. “Economic uncertainty and a decrease in overall consumer spending do not seem to be deterring patients from having cosmetic surgery.”
The former president of BAAPS Rajiv Grover, who compiles the audit annually, agrees: “We are seeing the effects of the pandemic causing pent-up demand which partially explains the rise. However, 2022 saw the largest annual increase in procedures since the audit began in 2004, with numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels and with the first triple-digit rise of 102% ever recorded.”
The audit also revealed, perhaps unsurprisingly, that women made up the vast majority of cosmetic procedures in 2022. “The BAAPS audit shows that 93% of the procedures were in women,” – an increase of 101% from 2021 - reveals the award-winning plastic surgeon Miss Sujatha Tadiparthi. “This is not surprising as women are now very much empowered, financially independent and have higher expectations of both their lives and their bodies. Personally, I have noticed a rise in women requesting consultations for cosmetic breast surgery, tummy tucks, mummy makeovers, liposuction, upper eyelid surgery and labiaplasty, which is in line with the recent BAAPs audit.”
Indeed, the five most popular procedures for women, revealed in the BAAP audit, were breast augmentation (up 66%), breast reduction (up 120%), abdominoplasty, also known as the tummy tuck (up 130%), liposuction (up 134%) and blepharoplasty, eyelid surgery (up 70%). Men made up 7% of all cosmetic surgery procedures, an even bigger rise (compared to women) of 118% from 2021. The five most popular procedures among men were rhinoplasty (up 45%), chest reduction (up 158%), blepharoplasty (up 105%), liposuction (up 150%) and otoplasty, or ear correction, up 72%.
The reasons behind the boom in cosmetic procedures are likely to be multifaceted, although experts suggest that social media has played an integral role in raising awareness about certain procedures.
Between 2004 and 2022, “social media became a powerful tool to connect and inform the public,” contextualises Grover. “Knowledge of plastic surgery has traditionally been through word of mouth, but this has now risen exponentially through digital word of mouth via Instagram. People are now seeing first-hand the transformational effects of cosmetic surgery on both physical and psychological well-being through the testimonies of real people. These audit figures underline the fact that the public are choosing tried and tested surgical methods such as facelifting where they can see transformational outcomes with genuine longevity rather than the magical-sounding quick fixes that give questionable results which are often here today and gone tomorrow.”
“I believe [the increase] is due to educational resources being available on hand for patients more than ever before,” agrees Tadiparthi. “Social media is playing a big part in sharing patient experiences of surgery but also in finding a suitable plastic surgeon. The openness on social media by patients on the procedures they have undergone, the recovery and results, has meant that cosmetic surgery is a lot more accepted. Furthermore, surgeons are marketing heavily on social media with posts on what procedures they do and how they are done, the recovery and aftercare, before and afters and patient reviews.”
Alongside social media popularity, the way our lives shifted during and immediately after the pandemic has also had an incredible impact on how cosmetic surgery is viewed.
“I believe that the shift in working from home and relying upon on-screen communication is one of the biggest causes of patients seeking out cosmetic procedures,” reveals the board-certified plastic surgeon Mr Georgios Orfaniotis. “Seeing ourselves on video chats highlights some ageing issues that we may not have noticed before, especially neck and jowl issues. This alongside the greater availability of evidence and research has contributed to a rise in seeking facial plastic surgery.
Patients are more researched than ever before; they understand the risks versus benefits, and they are doing their homework as to who to trust with their faces. The expansion of doctor's social media sites where hundreds of before and after results can be easily seen may contribute to surgery seeming more accessible to the patient who is seeking natural results.”
“There has also been a previous misconception of the public toward facial rejuvenation surgery linked with frozen, distorted faces and windswept deformities,” continues Orfaniotis. “Thankfully, it is now widely accepted that this is no longer the case. Modern facial plastic surgery techniques, such as deep plane face and neck lifts, can produce natural results with no visible signs of surgery. The effects of the surgery are long-lasting, and the focus is on restoring youthful contours and facial definitions without changing someone's identity. While the facelift is arguably most common amongst people in their 60s, due to the popularity of these results there has now been an increase among younger patients and men interested in the procedure.”
Moreover, there’s a growing understanding that the right cosmetic procedure, under the right circumstances can have a positive impact on well-being. “Plastic surgery can be life-changing and have a tremendously positive impact on quality of life, self-confidence and physical and emotional well-being,” says Tadiparthi. “There has recently also been a much greater focus on health and wellbeing, especially since Covid.”
“The increase in procedures like breast reductions indicate that people are being influenced by wellness and improving the quality of their lives,” agrees the vice-president of BAAPS Nora Nugent. “Cosmetic surgery, when performed safely by a qualified plastic surgeon, has a hugely positive psychological impact. Many procedures such as breast reduction or abdominoplasty also carry physical benefits. Looking internationally, this increase in cosmetic procedures is replicated across the world and appears to be sustained even in economic uncertainty.”
As popularity continues to increase though, all experts agree that safety must remain the number one priority: “Surgery does come at a cost but incredible, long-term, natural results can be achieved if undertaken by an appropriately trained, experienced plastic surgeon,” continues Tadiparthi. “It is imperative that patients give serious consideration to the potential risks before proceeding with any surgery and it is always advisable to see more than one surgeon to get a balanced opinion.”
“It is imperative that people select appropriately trained and qualified surgeons,” agrees Pacifico. “At the BAAPS we continue in our mission to promote public education and safety in aesthetic plastic surgery. People are choosing to spend on treatments with a proven track record of safety and which deliver reliable, long-lasting, and natural results.”