Plastic surgery statistics show the most popular surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. As plastic surgery trends come and go, find out what’s changing in the world of cosmetic procedures every year.
Cosmetic Surgery Statistics UK
2022 Cosmetic Surgery Stats
44% increase in botched cosmetic procedures from abroad, according to BAAPS*
*The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) is made up of more than 350 member surgeons who aim to improve safety standards in the profession. The not-for-profit association regularly mandates its members to collect data. Members have to go through thorough screening, training, and assessments before joining BAAPS.
Plastic Surgery Statistics 2021
How Many Get Plastic Surgery a Year in the UK?
Roughly 15 thousand cosmetic procedures were performed in 2021.
551 consultants of plastic surgery in the UK.
43% of UK adults increasingly consider non-surgical cosmetic procedures as part of their normal beauty or grooming routine.
RealSelf’s Most Worth It Report reveals the year’s most-loved aesthetic procedures based on RealSelf community members. Here are a few key takeaway points:
1. Two highest rated procedures were a deep plane face lift and forehead reduction surgery
2. Body lift surgery and a mini tummy tuck achieve a 98% Worth It rating.
3. Top rated breast implant brands from RealSelf community members include Motiva and Mentor
2021 - Plastic Surgery on men and women
The top surgical procedures for men & women in 2020 (total 15,405. A fall of 27% from 2020) according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) audit,
1. Breast augmentation: 4,023 – down 14% from last year
2. Breast Reduction: 2,528 – down 23%
3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 1,597 – down 36%
4. Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck): 1,488 – down 30%
5. Rhinoplasty (nose job): 1,330 – down 32%
6. Liposuction: 1,275 – down 20%
7. Face/Neck Lift: 901 – down 41%
8. Fat Transfer: 675 – down 34%
9. Breast Implant Removal: 592 – down 24% (Increased to 9th place in 2021 from 10th place in 2020)
10. Otoplasty (ear correction): 469 – down 41% (Dropped to 10th place in 2021 from 9th place in 2020)
11. Brachioplasty (arm lift): 184 – down 34% (Increased to 11th place in 2021 from 12th place in 2020)
12. Browlift: 152 – down 55% (Dropped to 12th place in 2021 from 11th place in 2020)
13. Thigh Lift: 109 – down 35%
14. Lower Body Lift 82 – down 38%
2021 - Plastic Surgery on Women
In 2021, women had 93% of all cosmetic procedures performed in the UK with 14,354 total, a fall of 26% from 2020.
The top surgical procedures for women in 2021 were:
1. Breast augmentation: 4,010 – down 15% from last year
2. Breast Reduction: 3,395 – down 23%
3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 1,432 – down 34%
4. Abdominoplasty: 1,410 – down 30%
5. Liposuction: 1,142 – down 21% (Increased to 5th place in 2021 from 6th place in 2020)
6. Rhinoplasty: 1,063 – down 31% (Dropped to 6th place in 2021 from 5th place in 2020)
7. Face/Neck Lift: 854 – down 41%
8. Fat Transfer: 653 – down 32%
9. Breast Implants Removal 586 – down 25%
10. Otoplasty (ear correction): 323 – down 37%
11. Brachioplasty: 178 – down 33% (Increased to 11th place in 2021 from 12th place in 2020)
12. Browlift: 131 – down 55% (Dropped to 12th place in 2021 from 11th place in 2020)
13. Thigh Lift: 105 – down 36% • Lower Body Lift 72 – down 32%
2021 - Plastic Surgery on Men
In 2021, men had 7% of surgical cosmetic procedures performed in the UK according to the BAAPs audit. There were 1,051 total, a fall of 37% from 2020.
The most popular treatments for men this year were:
1. Rhinoplasty: 267 – down 35% from last year
2. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 165 – down 48%
3. Otoplasty (ear correction): 146 – down 47%
4. Breast Reduction: 133 – down 30%
5. Liposuction: 133 – down 11%
6. Abdominoplasty: 78 – down 30%
7. Face/Neck Lift: 47 – down 46%
8. Fat Transfer 22 – down 69%
9. Brow lifts 21 – down 54%
10. Breast augmentation: 13 – static (Increased to 10th place in 2021 from 12th place in 2020)
11. Lower Body Lift 10 – down 62%
12. Brachioplasty: 6 – down 50%
13. Breast Implant Removal 6 – static (Increased to 13th place in 2021 from 14th place in 2020)
14. Thigh Lift: 4 – static (Dropped to 14th place in 2021 from 13th place in 2020)
Breast Augmentation Statistics 2021
In 2021, approximately 4 thousand breast augmentation procedures were performed.
Brow Lift and Otoplasty
The number of brow lift procedures in the UK decreased by 51% and otoplasty by 41% compared to the previous year.
Rhinoplasty
In 2021, 1,330 rhinoplasty procedures were performed, a decrease from the previous year.
Eyelid Surgery
Plastic surgeons performed 1.5 thousand eyelid surgeries in 2021.
Facelift and Neck Lift
There were 901 neck and facelift procedures in 2021, a decrease from the previous year.
Plastic Surgery Statistics 2020
In 2020, 21,174 surgical procedures were performed (a decrease of 24% from 2019). Women account for 92% of procedures, while men account for 8%.
BAAPS reports a huge uptick in demand for virtual consultations through lockdown.
1. Breast augmentation: 4,702 – down 32% from last year
2. Breast Reduction: 3,290 – down 22%
3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 2,481 – down 2% (Increased to 3rd place in 2020 from 4th place in 2019)
4. Abdominoplasty: 2,112 – down 31% (Dropped to 4th place in 2020 from 3rd place in 2019)
5. Rhinoplasty: 1,994 – down 20%
6. Liposuction: 1,596 – down 33%
7. Face/Neck Lift: 1,529 – down 25%
8. Fat Transfer: 1,029 – down 24%
9. Otoplasty (ear correction): 794 – down 10%
10. Breast Implant Removal: 783 – up 8%
11. Browlift: 337 – up 1% (Increased to 11th place in 2020 from 12th place in 2019)
12. Brachioplasty: 278 – down 30% (Dropped to 12th place in 2020 from 11th place in 2019)
13. Thigh Lift: 167 – down 27%
14. Lower Body Lift 132 – down 22%
2020 - Plastic Surgery on women
The most popular procedure performed on women was breast augmentation, followed by breast reduction.
The top surgical procedures for women in 2020 were:
1. Breast augmentation: 4,694 – down 32% from last year
2. Breast Reduction: 3,099 – down 22%
3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 2,163 – down 4% (Increased to 3rd place in 2020 from 4th place in 2019)
4. Abdominoplasty: 2,000 – down 32% (Dropped to 4th place in 2020 from 3rd place in 2019)
5. Rhinoplasty: 1,531 – down 21% (Increased to 5th place in 2020 from 6th place in 2019)
6. Liposuction: 1,447 – down 32% (Dropped to 6th place in 2020 from 5th place in 2019)
7. Face/Neck Lift: 1,442 – down 25%
8. Fat Transfer: 957 – down 25%
9. Breast Implants Removal 782 – up 7%
10. Otoplasty (ear correction): 516 – down 4%
11. Browlift: 291 – down 1% (Increased to 10th place in 2020 from 11th place in 2019)
12. Brachioplasty: 266 – down 32% (Dropped to 11th place in 2020 from 10th place in 2019)
13. Thigh Lift: 163 – down 28%
14. Lower Body Lift 106 – down 12%
Breast Implant Statistics 2020
According to the NHS Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry, 10,500 patients were recorded having at least 1 operation between January and December 2020.
2020 - Plastic Surgery on men
For men, the most popular procedure performed in 2020 was rhinoplasty.
The most popular treatments for men in this year were:
1. Rhinoplasty: 413 – down 18% from last year
2. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 318 – up 14% (Increased to 2nd place in 2020 from 4th place in 2019)
3. Otoplasty (ear correction): 278 – down 20% (Dropped to 3rd place in 2020 from 2nd place in 2019)
4. Breast Reduction: 191 – down 35% (Dropped to 4th place in 2020 from 3rd place in 2019)
5. Liposuction: 149 – up 42%
6. Abdominoplasty: 112 – down 22%
7. Face/Neck Lift: 87 – down 25%
8. Fat Transfer: 72 – up 1%
9. Brow lift: 46 – up 15% (Increased to 9th place in 2020 from 10th place in 2019)
10. Lower Body Lift 26 – down 47% (Dropped to 10th place in 2020 from 9th place in 2019)
11. Brachioplasty: 12 – up 58% (Increased to 11th place in 2020 from 12th place in 2019)
12. Breast augmentation: 8 – down 33% (Dropped to 12th place in 2020 from 11th place in 2019)
13. Thigh Lift: 4 – down 20%
14. Breast Implant Removal 1 – static
Plastic Surgery Statistics 2019
In 2019, about 27 thousand cosmetic procedures were performed in the UK (a decrease of 7.5% from the previous year).
Women account for 92% of all cosmetic procedures, while men account for 8%.
A report from RealSelf reported a 6% increase in male interest in non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Microneedling saw the highest increase in interest with a 27% rise.
According to data from RealSelf, Botulinum toxin and breast augmentation were the most-researched cosmetic treatments in 2019.
2019 - Plastic Surgery on women
The top procedures for women in 2019 were:
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Reduction
- Abdominoplasty
- Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
- Liposuction
- Rhinoplasty
- Face/Neck Lift
- Fat Transfer
- Otoplasty (ear correction)
- Brachioplasty
- Brow Lift
- Thigh Lift
- Lower Body Lift
2019 - Plastic Surgery on men
For men, the most popular cosmetic procedures in the UK were:
- Rhinoplasty
- Otoplasty (ear correction)
- Breast Reduction
- Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
- Liposuction
- Abdominoplasty
- Face/Neck Lift
- Fat Transfer
- Lower Body Lift
- Brow Lift
- Breast augmentation
- Brachioplasty
- Thigh Lift
2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics
Here are some key plastic surgery statistics from 2018 in the UK:
1. 28,347 cosmetic procedures performed (0.1% increase from 2017)
2. Fat reduction was the most popular cosmetic procedure choice
3. Rhinoplasty was the leading procedure for men
4. Breast augmentation was the leading procedure for women
5. 94% of people said they never had plastic or cosmetic surgery
2018 - Plastic Surgery on women
The top surgical procedures for women in 2018 (26,043 total. A rise of 0.6% from 2017).
In 2018, the most popular procedures for women were:
1. Breast augmentation: 7,727 – down 6% from last year
2. Breast Reduction: 4,014 – up 7%
3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 2,820 – down 2%
4. Abdominoplasty: 2,733 – up 5%
5. Liposuction: 2,286 – up 12%
6. Rhinoplasty: 2,260 – up 3%
7. Face/Neck Lift: 2,013 – up 9%
8. Fat Transfer: 1,330 – down 2%
9. Otoplasty (ear correction): 532 – down 10%
10. Browlift: 328 – down 15%
2018 - Plastic Surgery on men
The top surgical procedures for men in 2018 (2,304 total. A fall of 4.7% from 2017). 2018 figures for men in order of popularity:
1.Rhinoplasty: 571 – up 3% from last year
2. Otoplasty (ear correction): 412 – down 2%
3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 333 – down 17%
4. Breast Reduction: 285 – down 4%
5. Liposuction: 232 – down 14%
6. Abdominoplasty: 179 – up 18%
7. Face/Neck Lift: 121 – down 16%
8. Fat Transfer 98 – down 10%
9. Brow lifts 55 – down 4%
10. Breast augmentation: 18 – Static
2017 Plastic Surgery Stats
Standout plastic surgery stats of 2017 include:
1. Over 28 thousand operations take place according to BAAPS
2. The number of female facelifts dropped by 44%
3. Liposuction for men down 20%
Botched Cosmetic Procedures
In 2017, an internal survey of BAAPS members revealed an 80% increase in requests for fixing botched cosmetic procedures.
Some BAAPS members report that as much as a third of patients come from fixing other people’s mistakes.
BAAPS surgeons cited three main reasons why revisions were needed:
- Poor patient selection
- Lack of training
- Cheap cosmetic surgery prices abroad
2016 Plastic Surgery Statistics
Women
In 2016, the most popular cosmetic procedure for women was breast augmentation.
Men
For men, the most popular procedure was rhinoplasty.
Other key plastic surgery stats of 2016 were:
- The number of people in the UK undergoing cosmetic procedures was the lowest in almost a decade
- Just below 31 thousand surgical procedures were performed by BAAPS members
- 48% decrease in men’s procedures
- The number of surgical procedures dropped 40% since record highs in 2015
- Non-surgical treatments such as injectables remain steady
2015 Plastic Surgery Statistics
Between 2003 and 2015, the number of cosmetic procedures carried out increased five-fold.
Key plastics surgery statistics of 2015 were:
- Women’s cosmetic surgery increased by 12.5%
- Breast augmentation remains the most popular procedure for women
- Male face/neck lifts increased by 14%
- Men accounted for 9% of all procedures in 2015, but those numbers have almost doubled from 2005 to 2015, according to BAAPS
Eyelid Surgery
The number of blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) procedures performed in the UK reached its peak in 2015, with about 8.7 thousand operations carried out.
Liposuction
There were 5.5 thousand liposuction procedures in 2015.
Top Surgical Procedures for Women in 2015
- Breast Augmentation
- Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
- Face/Neck Lift
- Breast Reduction
- Liposuction
- Rhinoplasty
- Fat Transfer
- Abdominoplasty
- Otoplasty (ear correction)
- Brow Lift
Top Surgical Procedures for Men in 2015
- Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
- Rhinoplasty
- Breast Reduction
- Liposuction
- Otoplasty (ear correction)
- Face/Neck Lift
- Fat Transfer
- Brow Lift
- Abdominoplasty
- Breast augmentation
2010-2014 Cosmetic Surgery Statistics
Plastic surgery data from 2014:
- The number of surgical cosmetic procedures decreased by 9%
- Breast augmentation or boob jobs keep the top spot as the most popular surgical procedure
- Male cosmetic surgery fell by 15%
- Male patients accounted for 9% of all cosmetic procedures in 2014
- 45,506 surgical procedures performed by BAAPS members
Key cosmetic surgery stats from 2013:
- The number of breast augmentation procedures in the UK peaked in 2013 at over 11 thousand.
- 50,122 surgical procedures performed by BAAPS members (16.5% increase)
- Liposuction procedures on women increased by a whopping 43%
- Male surgery increased by 16.5%
- 13% rise in breast augmentation surgery
- 28% increase in body contouring procedures in men with liposuction
Key cosmetic surgery statistics from 2012:
- Male brow lifts were up 19%
- 43,172 procedures performed by BAAPS members
- Anti-ageing procedures reported a double-digit rise
- Women had more fat injecting than fat removing procedures for the first time
- Demand for a tummy tuck and liposuction dipped by 14% and 12%, respectively
- Male surgery fell by 4.5%
Plastic surgery statistics from 2011:
- Male tummy tucks were up 15%
- No cosmetic procedure decreases from the previous year
- 43,069 surgical procedures performed by BAAPS members
- Fat transfer procedures went up 5% for both genders
- Breast augmentation numbers were nearly double the next most popular procedure
Key cosmetic surgery statistics from 2010:
- 38,274 surgical procedures performed by BAAPS members
- 10% growth in breast augmentation procedures
- 12% increase in facelifts for both men and women
- Gynaecomastia or ‘man boobs’ surgery demand increased by 28%
- Women had 90% of all procedures while men had 10%
Plastic Surgery Statistics US
2021 Plastic Surgery Stats
The United States is the country with the highest number of plastic surgeons.
From 1997 to 2021, the demand for cosmetic procedures has grown significantly:
- 1997 – 900 thousand surgical procedures were performed
- 2021 – 1.56 million surgical procedures were performed
In 2021, there were over 5.5 million non-surgical cosmetic treatments involving fillers and toxins in the United States. Neurotoxins were the most popular procedure among all age groups.
Other standout plastic surgery stats from 2021 include:
- The top concern of women with cosmetic procedures is paying for the operation
- 91% of rhinoplasty (nose job) patients are satisfied in the US
- Americans spent $14.6 billion dollars on aesthetic procedures in 2021
- The number of breast augmentations in the US was over 458 thousand.
- 11% of women are more interested in surgical or non-surgical cosmetic procedures now than before COVID-19, according to an ASPS survey.
Liposuction
In 2021, over 491 thousand liposuction procedures were performed in the US. Liposuction continues to be the most popular cosmetic procedure for both men and women in the United States.
Breast Surgeries Breast procedures like breast reduction, breast augmentation, and breast lifts were up 48% from 2020 to 2021, according to the 2021 Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Statistics.
Top Procedures for Men in 2021
Top Procedures for Women in 2021
The top cosmetic procedures for women in the US in 2021 were:
1. Liposuction
2. Breast Augmentation
3. Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
4. Mastopexy (Breast Lift)
5. Removal/Replacement of Breast Implants
6. Blepharoplasty
2020 Cosmetic Procedures Statistics
In 2020, the United States was the country with the largest number of cosmetic procedures.
Americans spent over $9 billion dollars on aesthetic plastic surgery.
Here are some standout statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2020 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report:
- 2.3 million cosmetic procedures and 13.2 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures performed
- The total number of cosmetic procedures decreased from the previous year
- Top 5 cosmetic procedures: nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, facelift, liposuction, and breast augmentation
- 352,555 rhinoplasty procedures were performed in 2020, moving breast augmentation out of the top place.
- The average time Board-certified plastic surgeons stopped performing surgical procedures due to COVID-19 was 8.1 weeks.
- Women account for 92% of procedures while men account for 8%
Breast Implant Statistics 2020
In 2020, silicone implants were used in 84% of breast augmentation procedures, while saline implants were in 16% of operations.
US Cosmetic Surgery Statistics 2019
Statistics show that approximately 39% of cosmetic surgery patients in 2019 were between the ages of 35 and 50.
Here are some key highlights from the ASPS Statistics 2019 Plastic Surgery Report:
- The top surgical cosmetic procedures were breast augmentation, breast implant removals, breast lift, and breast reduction in men.
- The top minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures are Botulinum Toxin Type A, cellulite treatment, and chemical peel.
Liposuction
Liposuction is the most common plastic surgery in the USA and the second most common cosmetic surgery performed worldwide, with 1.7 million procedures in 2019.
The most common cosmetic surgical procedure worldwide is breast augmentation.
Labiaplasty
Labiaplasty growth increased by 29% from 2015 to 2019.
Buttock Surgery
Buttock augmentation increased by 38.5% in 2019, and buttock lifts by 25.5%, according to The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).
2018 Plastic Surgery Data
In 2018, nearly 18 million people underwent surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures in the United States.
The top 5 cosmetic procedures include:
- Breast augmentation (4% increase)
- Liposuction (an increase of 12 thousand procedures from 2017)
- Nose reshaping
- Eyelid surgery
- Tummy tuck
2017 Cosmetic Surgery Rates
In 2017, 17.5 million cosmetic procedures were performed, up 2% from the previous year (15.5 million minimally invasive and 1.8 million surgical procedures).
The number of breast reduction procedures performed also increased by 11% from the previous year.
The top 5 surgical cosmetic procedures were:
1. Breast augmentation (3% increase)
2. Liposuction (5% increase)
3. Nose reshaping
4. Eyelid surgery
5. Tummy tuck
The top 5 non-surgical cosmetic procedures were:
1. Botulinum Toxin
2. Soft tissue fillers
4. Laser hair removal
5. Microdermabrasion
Buttock Augmentation
In 2017, buttock augmentation with fat grafting increased by 10%.
Between 2016 and 2017, buttock lift procedures also increased by 13%.
2016 Plastic Surgery Stats
In 2016, 17.1 million cosmetic procedures were performed (a 3% increase from the previous year), according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The region with the most cosmetic procedures performed in the US was Mountain/Pacific.
The top 5 cosmetic procedures were:
- Breast augmentation (4% increase)
- Liposuction (6% increase)
- Nose reshaping
- Eyelid surgery
- Facelift
2015 Cosmetic Surgery Statistics
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 15.9 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2015 (a 2% increase from the previous year).
Women account for 92% of all procedures, and men for 8%.
The majority of cosmetic procedures (49%) were performed on patients aged 40-54.
The top 5 cosmetic procedures were:
- Breast augmentation (2% decrease)
- Liposuction (5% increase)
- Nose reshaping
- Eyelid surgery
- Tummy tuck
Some of the most notable changes include a 28% increase in buttock augmentation and an 8% increase in lower body lifts.
2010-2014 Plastic Surgery Statistics US
Key plastic surgery data from 2014:
- Americans spent more than 12 billion dollars between 2013 and 2014
- Liposuction was the most popular procedure
- 86% increase in buttock augmentation
- 43% increase in non-surgical fat reduction
- Over 10 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed
Key cosmetic surgery stats from 2013:
- Over 11 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed
- 6.5% total increase in plastic surgery (surgical and non-surgical)
- Liposuction was the most popular procedure
- Buttock augmentation and labiaplasty had significant increases in demand
Key cosmetic surgery statistics from 2012:
- Over 10 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed
- 3.1% increase in total procedures performed
- Breast augmentation was the most popular procedure
- 250% increase in total cosmetic procedures since 1997
Plastic surgery statistics from 2011:
- Breast enhancement was the top surgical procedure
- Decrease in hair transplants by 17%
- Increase in chin augmentation by 78%
- Male procedures rise by 6%
Key cosmetic surgery statistics from 2010:
- From 2009-2010 there was a 9% increase in total cosmetic procedures
- Women account for 92% of procedures while men account for 8%
- Men had more than 750,000 cosmetic procedures
- Americans spent almost $10.7 billion dollars on cosmetic procedures
Plastic Surgery Statistics Worldwide Q&A
How Many People Get Plastic Surgery a Year?
The ISAPS Global Survey Report 2020 states that 10,129,528 surgical procedures and 14,400,347 non-surgical procedures were performed in 2020.
The three most common surgical procedures worldwide were breast augmentation, liposuction, and eyelid surgery.
How Many Plastic Surgeons in the World?
Plastic surgery is a growing industry. As of 2020, the United States reported the largest number of plastic surgeons, with 7,000.
Brazil has the second largest number of plastic surgeons, followed by China.
Cosmetic Surgery at the Harley Clinic London
If you’re considering cosmetic surgery and would like to speak to an expert plastic surgeon, book a consultation today at the Harley Clinic.