2003 National Totals for Cosmetic Procedures
The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) sent out a survey to more than 14,000 doctors and used the results to project national averages for 23,000 medical specialists. The results have an error margin of +/- 3.92% at a 95% level of confidence.
New York, NY (February 18, 2004) – Highlights of 2003 cosmetic surgery statistics released today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the nation's leading organization for cosmetic surgery education and research:
There were nearly 8.3 million surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2003, according to the most comprehensive survey to date of U.S. physicians and surgeons by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Surgical procedures represented 22 percent of the total, and nonsurgical procedures were 78 percent of the total.
From 2002-2003, there was a 20 percent increase in the total number of cosmetic procedures. Surgical procedures increased by 12 percent, and nonsurgical procedures increased by 22 percent.
Since 1997, there has been a 293 percent increase in the total number of cosmetic procedures. Surgical procedures increased by 87 percent, and nonsurgical procedures increased by 471 percent.
The top five surgical cosmetic procedures in 2003 were: liposuction (384,626, up 3 percent from 2002); breast augmentation (280,401, up 12 percent); eyelid surgery (267,627, up 17 percent); rhinoplasty (172,420, up 10 percent); and breast reduction (147,173, up 17 percent).
The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2003 were: Botox injection (2,272,080, up 37 percent from 2002); laser hair removal (923,200, up 25 percent); microdermabrasion (858,312, down 17 percent); chemical peel (722,248, up 46 percent); and collagen injection (620,476, down 21 percent).
Women had nearly 7.2 million cosmetic procedures, 87 percent of the total. The number of cosmetic procedures for women increased 16 percent from 2002.
The top five surgical procedures for women were: liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, breast reduction and rhinoplasty.
Men had nearly 1.1 million cosmetic procedures, 13 percent of the total (up from 12 percent of the total in 2002). The number of cosmetic procedures for men increased 31 percent from 2002.
The top five surgical procedures for men were: liposuction, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, breast reduction to treat enlarged male breasts, and hair transplantation.
People age 35-50 had the most procedures -- 3.7 million and 45 percent of the total. People age 19-34 had 24 percent of procedures; age 51-64 had 23 percent; age 65-and-over had 5 percent; and age 18-and-younger had less than 3 percent.
The most common procedures for age 18-and-under were: chemical peel, laser hair removal, microdermabrasion, rhinoplasty, and otoplasty (ear reshaping).
Racial and ethnic minorities had 20 percent of all cosmetic procedures, an increase of 1 percent from 2002: Hispanics, 8 percent; African-Americans, 6 percent; Asians, 4 percent; and other non-Caucasians, 2 percent.
Where cosmetic surgeries were performed: office facility, 52 percent (up 7 percent from 2002); hospital 25 percent; and free-standing surgicenter, 23 percent.
Figures may not add exactly to totals and percentages may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.
2003 ASAPS Statistics — 8.3 Million Cosmetic Procedures: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Reports 20 Percent Increase
New York, NY (February 18, 2004) - The number of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in the United States increased by 20 percent in 2003 to a total of nearly 8.3 million, according to statistics released today by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). The number of surgical procedures increased 12 percent and the number of nonsurgical procedures increased 22 percent from 2002. ASAPS, a national not-for-profit organization for education and research in cosmetic plastic surgery, annually conducts the nation's most authoritative survey of U.S. physicians performing cosmetic procedures.
"A strengthening economy means that people are more willing to invest in the things that improve their quality of life," says ASAPS President Robert Bernard, MD, of White Plains, NY. "Feeling good about the way they look is high on the list of priorities for many Americans.”
TRENDS
Top Surgical Procedures
The five most popular surgical cosmetic procedures in 2003 were: liposuction (384,626); Breast Augmentation (280,401); eyelid surgery (267,627); rhinoplasty (172,420); and female breast reduction (147,173). Breast reduction may be covered by insurance, depending on terms of the policy and individual patient factors.
There were significant percentage increases from 2002 in several body contouring procedures often used to treat patients with major weight loss: abdominoplasty (increased by 42 percent to 117,693 procedures); lower body lift (increased by 127 percent to 10,964 procedures); thigh lift (increased by 109 percent to 8,806 procedures); and upper arm lift (increased by 68 percent to 10,595 procedures). There were also large percentage increases for buttock lift (increased by 70 percent to 3,565 procedures) and buttock augmentation (increased by 533 percent to 3,885 procedures). Large percentage changes are common in cases where the total number of procedures is small.
Top Nonsurgical Procedures
Botox injections continued to rank first among all cosmetic procedures (surgical and nonsurgical combined), increasing 37 percent from 2002. The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures were: Botox injection (2,272,080); laser hair removal (923,200); microdermabrasion (858,312); chemical peel (722,248); and collagen injection (620,476). Human-derived collagen products (CosmoDerm, CosmoPlast) were used in 29 percent of collagen injection procedures. There were 116,211 procedures using hyaluronic acid (Hylaform, Restylane) and 31,913 procedures using calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiance).
Gender Distribution
Women had 87 percent of cosmetic procedures. The number of procedures performed on women was nearly 7.2 million, an increase of 16 percent from 2002. The top five surgical cosmetic procedures for women in 2003 were: liposuction (322,975 and 84 percent of liposuction total); breast augmentation (280,401); eyelid surgery (216,829 and 81 percent of total); breast reduction (147,173); and rhinoplasty (119,047 and 69 percent of total). The number of surgical procedures for women increased 11 percent overall from 2002.
The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures for women were: Botox injection (1,963,012 and 86 percent of Botox total); microdermabrasion (774,261 and 90 percent of total); laser hair removal (695,210 and 75 percent of total); chemical peel (640,081 and 89 percent of total); and collagen injection (568,797 and 92 percent of total). The number of nonsurgical procedures for women increased 17 percent overall from 2002.
Men had 13 percent of cosmetic procedures, up 1 percent from 2002. The number of procedures performed on men was nearly 1.1 million, an increase of 31 percent from 2002. The top five surgical cosmetic procedures for men in 2003 were: liposuction (61,646 and 16 percent of liposuction total); rhinoplasty (53,376 and 31 percent of total); eyelid surgery (50,798 and 19 percent of total); breast reduction to treat enlarged male breasts (22,049); and hair transplantation (14,891 and 90 percent of total). Surgical procedures for men increased 22 percent overall from 2002.
The top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures for men were: Botox injection (309,063 and 14 percent of Botox total); laser hair removal (227,990 and 25 percent of total); microdermabrasion (84,049 and 10 percent of total); chemical peel (82,174 and 11 percent of total); and collagen injection (51,674 and 8 percent of total). Nonsurgical procedures for men increased 34 percent overall from 2002.
Age Distribution
Americans age 35-50 had 3.7 million surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, representing 45 percent of all procedures performed in 2003. Liposuction was the most popular surgical procedure (179,650 and 47 percent of liposuction total). Botox injection was the number one nonsurgical procedure (1,238,891 and 55 percent of Botox total).
The 19-34 age group had nearly 2 million cosmetic procedures, and 24 percent of all procedures. The most popular surgical procedure in this age group was breast augmentation (150,208 and 54 percent of the breast augmentation total). Laser hair removal was the most popular nonsurgical procedure (332,166 and 36 percent of laser hair removal total).
The 51-64 age group had 1.9 million cosmetic procedures, and 23 percent of all procedures. The number one surgical procedure was eyelid surgery (104,835 and 39 percent of the eyelid surgery total). The most popular nonsurgical procedure was Botox injection (601,417 and 27 percent of Botox total).
The 65-and-over age group had 5 percent of all cosmetic procedures (388,601). The most popular surgical procedure was eyelid surgery (33,990, and 13 percent of eyelid surgery total). The number one nonsurgical procedure was Botox injection (104,820 and 5 percent of Botox total).
The 18-and-under age group had less than 3 percent of all cosmetic procedures (223,594), down slightly from 2002. The most popular surgical procedure was rhinoplasty (23,013 and 13 percent of rhinoplasty total). The most popular nonsurgical procedure was chemical peel (51,997 and 7 percent of chemical peel total).
Racial and Ethnic Distribution
Racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 20 percent of all cosmetic procedures in 2003, an increase of 1 percent from 2002. Hispanics led minority racial and ethnic groups in the number of procedures: Hispanics, 8%; African-Americans, 6% (an increase of 1 percent from 2002); Asians, 4%; and other non-Caucasians, 2%.
Facility and Fees
Fifty-two percent (52 percent) of cosmetic procedures in 2003 were performed in office-based facilities, an increase of 7 percent from 2002. Other procedures were divided about equally between hospitals (25 percent) and free-standing surgicenters (23 percent). Americans spent just under $9.4 billion on cosmetic procedures; this figure does not include fees for surgical facilities, anesthesia, medical tests, prescriptions, surgical garments or other miscellaneous expenses associated with surgery. $6.5 billion was for surgical procedures, and $2.9 billion was for nonsurgical procedures.
ASAPS Member Data
The ASAPS survey includes data from member surgeons as well as nonmember physicians and surgeons in multiple specialties. ASAPS members are plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery who specialize in cosmetic surgery of the face and body. In 2003, ASAPS-member plastic surgeons, on average, performed 751 cosmetic procedures.
About the ASAPS Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank
ASAPS, working with an independent research firm, compiled 7-year data for procedures performed 1997-2003 by multiple specialists , including plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery; head and neck surgeons certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology; and dermatologists certified by the American Board of Dermatology. More than 14,000 questionnaires were mailed nationwide to a random sampling of physicians most likely to perform several or more of the 38 top cosmetic procedures. Results of the survey were used to project national data on the number of cosmetic procedures performed in 2003 by nearly 23,000 physicians. The survey data has a standard error of +/- 3.92 percent at a 95 percent level of confidence.
2003 ASAPS Procedure Quick Facts
| Procedure | Best Candidate | Physician Surgeon Fees* | Length of Procedure | Number of Treatments | Results** | Back to Work |
| Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) | Protruding abdomen; excess fat and skin; weak abdominal muscles | $4,477 | 2-5 hours | One | Permanent | 1-3 weeks |
| Botox | Frown lines and crow's feet | $413 | 30 minutes | Repeat treatments 4-6 months | Temporary | No downtime |
| Breast Augmentation | Small, disproportionate breasts | $3,257 | 1-2 hours | One | Permanent possible implant replacement | 1-2 weeks |
| Breast Lift | Sagging, poorly shaped breasts | $4,616 | 1½-3½ hours | One | Long-lasting | 1-2 weeks |
| Breast Reduction | Large, heavy, pendulous, or disproportionate breasts | $5,183 | 2-4 hours | One | Permanent | 1-2 weeks |
| Buttock Lift | Sagging skin, excess fat, weakened muscles in thigh/buttocks area | $4,616 | 2 hours | One | Long-lasting | 10-14 days |
| Cellulite Treatment (mechanical roller massage therapy) | Dimpled thighs and buttocks | $503 | 30-45 minutes | Ongoing | Temporary | No downtime |
| Cheek Implants | Poor facial contour | $2,376 | 2 hours | One | Permanent | 1-2 weeks |
| Chemical Peel (ranges from light to deep) | Sun-damaged or unevenly pigmented skin | $831 | ½ hour-3 hours Depends on type of peel | One or multiple Depends on type of peel | Long-lasting | Depends on type of peel |
| Chin Augmentation | Receding chin | $1,735 | 1 hour | One | Permanent | 1-2 weeks |
| Ear Surgery | Protruding or disproportionate ears | $2,589 | 2-3 hours | One | Permanent | 5 days |
| Eyelid Surgery | Excess fat, wrinkled, drooping skin of upper eyelids; bags, puffiness under eyes | $2,510 | 1-3 hours | One | Long-lasting | Within 10 days |
| Facelift | Loose skin, deep lines, wrinkles, jowls | $5,622 | 2-3 hours | One | Long-lasting | Within 2 weeks |
| Fat Injection | Frown lines, crow's feet, nasolabial folds | $1,065 | 30 minutes- 1 hour | May require reinjection in 3-18 months | Temporary | Minor: 1-4 days Extensive: 7-14 days |
| Forehead Lift | Sagging, low eyebrows, forehead creases, frown lines | $2,779 | 1-2 hours | One | Long-lasting | Within 10 days |
| Gynecomastia, Treatment of | Enlarged male breasts | $2,894 | 2 hours | One | Permanent | 1 week |
| Hair Transplantation | Hair loss with the availability of healthy hair in donor areas | $3,580 | Several hours | Multiple sessions over 1-2 years | Permanent | Several days |
| Laser Hair Removal | Unwanted hair on face or body | $423 | 1-2 hours Depends on area | Multiple sessions | Ongoing | No downtime |
| Laser Skin Resurfacing | Fair, non-oily skin; sun-damaged facial skin, wrinkles around mouth and eyes, acne scars | $2,250 | Variable, up to 1 1/2 hours | One or multiple depending on laser and skin condition | Long-lasting | Variable, up to 14 days |
| Laser Treatment of Leg Veins | Very small spider veins | $427 | 30 minutes - 1 hour | Multiple sessions | Permanent | No downtime |
| Lip augmentation (surgical) | Thin lips | $1,487 | 1 hour | One | Permanent | Within 1 week |
| Lipoplasty (liposuction) | Normal weight with isolated fatty areas | $2,425 | 45 minutes - 2 hours | One | Permanent | 1-2 weeks |
| Lower Body Lift | Skin laxity without significant fat deposits | $5,833 | Up to 8 hours | One | Long-lasting | Up to 4 weeks |
| Microdermabrasion | Fine lines, crow's feet, age spots, acne scars | $201 | Multiple sessions 2-3 week intervals | Temporary | No downtime | |
| Rhinoplasty | Nose too large, wide, or tip needs reshaping | $3,745 | 1-2 hours | One | Permanent | 7-10 days |
| Sclerotherapy | Spider veins | $273 | 30 minutes - 1 hour | 3-4 treatments Injections | Permanent | No downtime |
| Soft Tissue Fillers 1) Autologous Fat | folds, lips, frown lines, and facial recontouring | $1,270 | 1 hour depending on the sites | Highly variable, repeat treatments | Temporary | 1-4 days, Extensive 7-14 days |
| 2) Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiance) | Nasolabial folds, frown lines, crow's feet, and lips | $1,169 | Less than 1 hour | Repeat treatments 2 years or longer | Temporary | No downtime |
| 3) Collagen | Frown lines, crow's feet, nasolabial folds | $381 | Less than 1 hour | Repeat treatments 3-6 months | Temporary | No downtime |
| 4) Hyaluronic acid (Hylaform, Restylane) | Nasolabial folds, forehead wrinkles, smile lines, and lips | $552 | Less than 1 hour | Repeat treatments 4 months – 1 year | Temporary | No downtime |
| Thigh Lift | Loose, excess skin | $4,078 | 2 hours | One | Long-lasting | 2-4 weeks |
| Upper Arm Lift | Excess skin and fat on underside of arm | $3,056 | 2 hours | One | Long-lasting | 1-2 weeks |
* National average; surgeon fees are based on ASAPS 2003 Statistics. Fees vary considerably by geographic region. Facility fees, anesthesia and other surgical costs not included.
** With any surgical procedure, a revision or touch-up may sometime be necessary. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Statistics courtesy of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) sent out a survey to more than 14,000 doctors and used the results to project national averages for 23,000 medical specialists. The results have an error margin of +/- 3.92% at a 95% level of confidence.
Cosmetic Surgery Trends: Surgical and Non-Surgical Totals (Compares 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003)
7 Year Comparison: 1997 and 2003 Cosmetic Procedures (Surgical and Non-Surgical)
Surgical Cosmetic Procedures: 1997, 2002 and 2003 Comparison
Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures: 1997, 2002 and 2003 Comparison
Top Five Surgical Cosmetic Procedures in 2003
Top Five Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures in 2003
Top Five Cosmetic Surgeries for Females in 2003
Top Five Cosmetic Surgeries for Males in 2003
