Survey Says: Plastic Surgery is Skyrocketing

An overwhelming majority of consumers are considering some kind of plastic surgery to improve their appearance. It night be the outrageously popular Brazilian Butt Lift, better known as the BBL, or something less invasive, like Botox. Whatever the choice, the latest survey shows consumers are in the mood for plastic surgery, and here’s why.

The Popularity of Plastic Surgery

A new survey is helping to highlight the attitude toward plastic surgery in the United States. From the results, it appears there’s a healthy appetite for cosmetic procedures. A recent poll revealed an 11 percent increase in procedures in 2017, with even more people who said they wanted to try something. About 70 percent of those consumers who were asked said they were considering a non-invasive treatment. That number has nearly doubled in the last five years. Some plastic surgeons, like Dr. Charles Messa, think that social media plays a role in shaping opinions about plastic surgery.

Dr. Charles Messa, a board certified plastic surgeon at Weston Cosmetic Surgery Center in Weston, Florida, says he is seeing more clients due to social media. Messa says some people who try the face-altering filters like the ones on Instagram like the way they look. Messa says people want to know if plastic surgery can help them look the way they appear through filers on social media. “They see that they can make themselves look differently,” he shares. “They also understand the availability of plastic surgery and that makes people become more aware that there are enhancements out there and maybe this is something they would like to do.

Why the Boost? Better Techniques, for One

There’s no doubt that Americans in large numbers are turning to plastic surgery to reshape their look. Experts say improving procedures that offer little to no downtime are a big part of the attraction. Results today look natural, not plastic, and that’s important to every age group, including millennials, whose ‘screen’ appearance when snapping a selfie is a priority. “It’s all about getting confidence and getting rid of the small things that are embarrasing,” says Dr. Kevin Smith, a board certified plastic surgeon with Charlotte Plastic Surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Smith says across the generations those who receive plastic surgery also get a huge boost in self-esteem. He expects the numbers to continue to rise as more people understand plastic surgery is acceptable and safe. “Patients need to know that it’s acceptable to want to have something done – that when they are in the hands of a good surgeon, then the results can be predictable and satisfactory and solve the problems – minor or major.”

No Longer Taboo

Authorities agree that plastic surgery, once considered a taboo subject, is much more out in the open and freely discussed. Consumers who may have had questions about confidentiality feel that privacy will be preserved. For all those reasons, Dr. Messa says more people are willing to consider the idea that plastic surgery may be the right choice to look and feel better. “I think that is why people are accepting the idea that I can make myself look better,” he says. “It’s important to feel better and this is what I’m going to do.”