Last week the American Society of Plastic Surgeons released the 2020 annual statistics. So how did COVID-19 change plastic surgery last year?
Last week, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) unveiled the society’s 2020 plastic surgery statistics, including the effects of the COVID-19 and the impact that a pent-up patient demand has had on the industry’s current post-pandemic boom.
The ASPS Releases the 2020 Plastic Surgery Statistics
The ASPS is the world’s largest plastic surgery organization, representing nearly 8,000 members. I am proud to have maintained my active membership in the society for over 25 years. Last week they released the 2020 results of the organization’s annual procedure survey coupled with national consumer research reflecting trends during the COVID-19 era to help predict what 2021 will bring.
2020 COVID-19 Elective Surgery Shut Down
The Society’s board-certified plastic surgeons reported they stopped performing elective surgical procedures for an average of 8.1 weeks in 2020 due to COVID-19, or 15 percent of the year, which mirrors the decline in the total number of procedures performed last year. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we were shut down for 12 weeks, 50% longer than average, and it took even longer for some centers to reopen to elective surgery, especially elective facial plastic surgery, out of an abundance of caution.
Survey Finds American Women Have More Positive Attitude Toward Plastic Surgery
ASPS recently gauged Americans’ perceptions of plastic surgery more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing responses from more than 1,000 women. The national survey provides insights into how consumers feel about plastic surgery procedures and their likelihood to pursue one.
During the pandemic, 11% of women surveyed indicated they are more interested in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery or non-surgical procedures now than before COVID-19, and the figure is even higher (24%) among women who have already had surgery or a procedure. Also, 35% of women who have previously had at least one cosmetic surgical procedure or minimally invasive procedure plan to spend more on treatments in 2021 than in 2020.
Facial and Body Enhancement
The first wave of pandemic demand saw an increase in facial procedures, perhaps in response to a significant surge in Zoom calls and downtime for discreet recovery at home. The recent national survey also shows that Tummy Tucks (22%) and Liposuction (17%) are among the top procedures that women who are extremely or very likely to consider procedures within six months are seeking. The reason is attributed to weight fluctuation during quarantine, and more time to consider procedures long delayed due to time or cost.
ASPS 2020 Top 5 Cosmetic Surgical Procedures
While ASPS saw an overall 15% decrease in total number of cosmetic procedures in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dip is largely on par with the amount of time practices were closed – and three of the top 5 procedures focused on the face.
The Top 5 cosmetic surgical procedures performed in 2020 were:
- Nose Reshaping or Rhinoplasty(352,555 procedures)
- Eyelid Surgery or Blepharoplasty (352,112 procedures)
- Facelift or Rhytidectomy (234,374 procedures)
- Liposuction or Liposculpture (211,067 procedures)
- Breast Augmentation or Breast Implants (193,073 procedures)
Top 5 Cosmetic Minimally Invasive Procedures
In 2020, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures decreased slightly more than surgical procedures (16% vs. 14%) during stay-at-home orders, dropping for the first time in four years.
Injectables continued to be the most sought-after treatments in 2020. ASPS member surgeons cited a significant uptick in demand during the coronavirus pandemic with current patients eager to reschedule missed neurotoxin and filler appointments, and new patients motivated for the first time to pursue the minimally invasive facial treatments they’d been considering – some even before last March.
Among the 13.3 million cosmetic minimally invasive procedure performed in 2020, the top 5 were:
- Botulinum Toxin type A (4.4 million procedures)
- Soft tissue fillers (3.4 million procedures)
- Laser skin resurfacing (997,245 procedures)
- Chemical peel (931,473 procedures)
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment (827,409 procedures)
Top 5 Reconstructive Procedures
Nearly 7 million reconstructive procedures were performed in 2020, up 3% overall compared to 2019, despite the global pandemic’s impact on elective surgeries. Tumor removal is by far the most common reconstructive plastic surgery procedure with approximately 5.2 million procedures performed.
The Top 5 reconstructive procedures performed in 2020 were:
- Tumor removal (5.2 million procedures)
- Laceration repair (386,710 procedures)
- Scar revision (263,643 procedures)
- Maxillofacial surgery (256,085 procedures)
- Hand surgery (206,928 procedures)
Plastic Surgery Consultations
If you are considering Cosmetic Plastic Surgery the next best step is a consultation with an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. They have extensive knowledge in all available procedures and can guide you to the results you are looking for. For more information call (925) 943-6353 or use our contact form.
Thank you to the ASPS for collating statistics from us members and making these statistics publicly available.
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