Who Buys

For the year 2004, there was a 49% increase in the number of procedures done on women and an 8% increase in the number performed on men.

Patients in the 35-50 age bracket accounted for the most cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures in 2004, 44.7%, followed by those individuals ages 51-64 (24.8%), 19-34 (22.2%), 65-and-over (6.3%) and 18-and-under (2.0%).

Share of cosmetic procedures done in 2004, according to race/ethnicity: Caucasian, 79.6%; Hispanic, 8.5%; African-American, 6.2%; Asian-American, 4.6%; Other, 1.1%.

According to a 2005 survey, percentage of the following household income groups (both men and women) who would consider cosmetic surgery for themselves either now or in the future: Under $25,000, 21%; $25,000-$49,999, 25%; $50,000-$74,999, 27%; $75,000+, 35%.

According to a 2005 survey, percentage of the following age groups (both men and women) who would consider cosmetic surgery for themselves either now or in the future: 18-24, 34%; 25-34, 33%; 35-44, 31%; 45-54, 28%; 55-64, 24%; 65+, 15%.

Based on a 2005 survey, 34% of women and 21% of men say they would consider cosmetic surgery for themselves either now or in the future.

According to a 2005 study, 28% of white adult Americans would consider cosmetic surgery, as would 28% of non-white adults.

A 2005 survey by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery found that 27% of married adults would consider cosmetic surgery, compared to 28% of unmarried adults.

According to research by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures performed on Hispanics increased 49% between 2000 and 2004. Both African Americans and Asians had a 24% increase in cosmetic surgery procedures during the same time span.

Why They Buy

According to a survey of more than 1,000 men, conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 57% of the respondents cited cost as the biggest obstacle to having cosmetic surgery performed on them. Other responses included concern about what others would think (13%), fear of surgery (12%), and lack of knowledge about cosmetic plastic surgery (10%).

A survey conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons asked adults 18+ to list the reasons that would prevent them from having cosmetic surgery. Among the female respondents (more than one answer possible): Content with their current appearance, 61.5%; cost too much, 58.8%; fear of surgery, 29.9%; concerned with what others think, 8.0%; none of the above, 11.0%. Among the male survey participants: Content with their current appearance, 70.8%; cost too much, 41.4%; fear of surgery, 16.8%; concerned with what others think, 8.3%; none of the above, 15.7%.

How They Buy

Average physician/surgeon fees (does not include costs of surgical facility, anesthesia, prescriptions or other related expenses) for the top 5 cosmetic procedures in 2004:

1. Botox injection, $387;
2. Laser hair removal, $355;
3. Chemical peel, $781;
4. Microdermabrasion, $146;
5. Hyaluronic acid injection, $542.

   Average physician/surgeon fees (does not include costs for surgical facility, anesthesia, prescriptions and other related expenses) for the 6-10 most popular cosmetic procedures in 2004:

6. Collagen injection, $389;
7. Laser skin resurfacing, $2,241 (ablative) and $1,106 (non-ablative);
8. Schlerotherapy (treatment of varicose/spider veins), $317;
9. Lipoplasty (liposuction), $2,704;
10. Breast augmentation, $3,437.

What They Buy

Top 5 cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) performed in 2004, with percentage change from 2003 in parentheses:

1. Botox injection, 2,837,346 (+25%);
2. Laser hair removal, 1,411,899 (+53%);
3. Chemical peel, 1,110,401 (+54%);
4. Microdermabrasion, 1,098,316 (+28%);
5. Hyaluronic acid injections, 882,469 (+659%).

   The 6-10 ranked cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) done in 2004, with percentage change from 2003 in parentheses:

6. Collagen injections, 785,448 (+27%);
7. Laser skin resurfacing, 589,721 (+363%);
8. Sclerotherapy (treatment of varicose/spider veins), 487,987 (+10%);
9. Lipoplasty (liposuction), 478,251 (+24%);
10. Breast augmentation, 334,052 (+19%).

    The 11-15 most popular cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) performed in 2004, with change from 2003 in parentheses:

11. Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery), 290,343 (+8%);
12. Laser treatment of leg veins, 207,612 (+22%);
13. Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), 166,187 (-4%);
14. Facelift, 157,061 (+25%);
15. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), 150,987 (+28%).

The top 5 non-surgical procedures done in 2003:

1. Botox injection;
2. Laser hair removal;
3. Chemical peel;
4. Microdermabrasion;
5. Hyaluronic acid injection.

The top 5 surgical procedures performed in 2004:

1. Lipoplasty (liposuction);
2. Breast augmentation;
3. Eyelid surgery;
4. Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping);
5. Facelift.

The top 10 cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) performed on women in 2004:

1. Botox injection, 2,525,430;
2. Laser hair removal, 1,215,052;
3. Microdermabrasion, 999,095;
4. Chemical peel, 977,277;
5. Hyaluronic acid injection, 838,917;
6. Collagen injection, 745,084;
7. Laser skin resurfacing, 520,293;
8. Sclerotherapy (treatment of varicose/spider veins), 479,159;
9. Lipoplasty (liposuction), 416,614;
10. Breast augmentation, 334,052.

Top 10 cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) done on men in 2004:

1. Botox injection, 311,916;
2. Laser hair removal, 196,847;
3. Chemical peel, 133,124;
4. Microdermabrasion, 99,221;
5. Laser skin resurfacing, 69,427;
6. Lipoplasty (liposuction), 61,638;
7. Hyaluronic acid injection, 43,551;
8. Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery), 41,050;
9. Collagen injection, 40,364;
10. Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), 38,989.

Top 5 cosmetic procedures (either surgical or non-surgical) performed on patients in the 19-34 age range during 2004:

1. Laser hair removal, 548,993;
2. Botox injection, 427,368;
3. Microdermabrasion, 314,422;
4. Lipoplasty (liposuction), 175,467;
5. Breast augmentation, 175,433.

Top 5 cosmetic procedures (either surgical or non-surgical) performed on patients in the 35-50 age group during 2004:

1. Botox injection, 1,454,355;
2. Laser hair removal, 562,065;
3. Microdermabrasion, 482,641;
4. Hyaluronic acid injection, 414,824;
5. Chemical peel, 396,622.

Top 5 cosmetic procedures (either surgical or non-surgical) done on patients in the 51-64 age bracket during 2004:

1. Botox injection, 762,653;
2. Chemical peel, 332,555;
3. Collagen injection, 288,291;
4. Hyaluronic acid injection, 275,434;
5. Microdermabrasion, 216,443.

The top 5 cosmetic procedures (either surgical or non-surgical) performed on patients in the 65-and-over age category during 2004:

1. Botox injection, 188,894;
2. Chemical peel, 165,816;
3. Collagen injection, 70,783;
4. Hyaluronic acid injection, 62,127;
5. Laser skin resurfacing, 53,163.

Top 5 cosmetic procedures (either surgical or non-surgical) done on patients in the 18-and-under age group during 2004:

1. Laser hair removal, 83,909;
2. Chemical peel, 46,198;
3. Microdermabrasion, 36,619;
4. Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), 17,233;
5. Laser skin resurfacing, 13,425.

Procedures performed most often by cosmetic physicians/surgeons in 2004 (average number of procedures per doctor):

1. Botox injection, 163.5;
2. Lipoplasty (liposuction), 79.3;
3. Breast augmentation, 70.0;
4. Microdermabrasion, 62.6;
5. Laser hair removal, 50.0;
6. Hyaluronic acid injection, 48.7;
7. Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery), 42.7;
8. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), 25.9;
9. Breast reduction (women), 25.1;
10. Chemical peel, 24.2.

Where They Buy

Where cosmetic procedures were performed in 2004:

1. Office-based surgical facility, 46%;
2. free-standing surgicenter, 29%;
3. hospital, 25%.

Based on a study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, states with the largest number of plastic surgeons (as compared to the overall population of each state):

1. District of Columbia;
2. Florida;
3. Nevada;
4. Utah;
5. New York.

   Wyoming, Vermont, Iowa, Maine and South Dakota have the fewest plastic surgeons, in relation to the overall population of those states.

Business Trends

Americans spent just under $12.5 billion on cosmetic surgery procedures in 2004.

The total number of cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures performed in 2004 totaled 11.855 million, a 8.252 million, a 44% increase from the 2003 total of 8.252 million. Between 1997 and 2004, the number of procedures grew 465%.

Surgical procedures accounted for 18% of the total number of cosmetic surgery procedures in 2004, while nonsurgical procedures represented 82% of the total. The number of surgical procedures increased 17% in 2004, compared to a 51% jump in the number of nonsurgical procedures.

Misc

In general, 60% of American women say they approve of cosmetic surgery, as do 59% of men.

Eighty-two percent of women and 79% men say that if they had cosmetic surgery in the future, they would not be embarrassed if people outside their immediate family/close friends knew about it.