Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon Archives - Page 2 of 4

14.6 Million Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures Performed in 2012

Minimally-Invasive, Facial Rejuvenation Procedures Fuel 5% Growth

As economic indicators such as auto, retail, and home sales saw gains in 2012 – so too did plastic surgery. According to statistics released today by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 14.6 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, including both minimally-invasive and surgical, were performed in the United States in 2012, up 5 percent since 2011. In addition, 5.6 million reconstructive plastic surgery procedures were performed last year, up 1 percent.

“Our annual statistics serve as a snapshot regarding the plastic surgery industry,” said ASPS President Gregory Evans, MD. “For the third consecutive year, the overall growth in cosmetic surgery continues to be driven by a significant rise in minimally-invasive procedures, while surgical procedures remain relatively stable. We are aware, however, that patients who begin with less invasive treatments with a plastic surgeon may opt for more invasive, surgical procedures once required.”

Cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures increased 6 percent, with more than 13 million procedures in 2012. The top five minimally-invasive procedures were:

Botulinum toxin type A (6.1 million procedures, up 8 percent)
Soft tissue fillers (2 million procedures, up 5 percent)
Chemical peel (1.1 million procedures, up 2 percent)
Laser hair removal (1.1 million procedures, up 4 percent)
Microdermabrasion (974,000 procedures, up 8 percent)

Cosmetic surgical procedures decreased 2 percent, with nearly 1.6 million procedures in 2012. The top five surgical procedures were:

Breast augmentation (286,000 procedures, down 7 percent)
Nose reshaping (243,000 procedures, no change)
Liposuction (202,000 procedures, down 1 percent)
Eyelid surgery (204,000 procedures, up 4 percent)
Facelift (126,000 procedures, up 6 percent)

About Face
Interestingly, facial rejuvenation procedures, both surgical and minimally-invasive, experienced the most growth in 2012. Facelifts and eyelid surgeries were up, while 2012 marked the highest number of botulinum toxin type A (Botox®, Dysport®) injections performed to date. Other facial rejuvenation procedures like soft tissue fillers, laser skin resurfacing (509,000 procedures, up 9 percent) and microdermabrasion also saw sizable increases.

Cosmetic Breast Surgery
Female cosmetic breast surgeries such as breast augmentation and breast lifts (89,000 procedures, down 2 percent) dropped last year, while male breast reduction (gynecomastia) shot up. Nearly 21,000 male breast reductions were performed, up 5 percent.

“Female cosmetic breast surgeries such as breast augmentation, as well as body contouring procedures like tummy tucks, were some of the most popular procedures performed in 2012, although they saw declines,” said Dr. Evans. “Facial rejuvenation procedures to eradicate wrinkles, refresh, or tighten sagging skin experienced growth, as more consumers chose to maintain or restore a youthful appearance with these procedures.”

Reconstructive plastic surgery, which improves function and appearance to abnormal structures, increased 1 percent in 2012. The top five reconstructive procedures were:

Tumor removal (4.2 million, up 1 percent)
Laceration repair (291,000, down 4 percent)
Maxillofacial surgery (209,000, up 7 percent)
Scar revision (171,000, down 2 percent)
Hand surgery (123,000, up 3 percent)

Reconstructive breast reduction rates continue to rise, with more than 68,000 procedures performed last year, up 8 percent.

“Although breast reduction has many physical and psychological benefits for women with overly large breasts, obstacles remain in acquiring insurance coverage,” said Dr. Evans. “It’s promising to see gains in this and other beneficial, medically necessary surgeries.”

ASPS members can report procedural information through the first online national database for plastic surgery procedures, Tracking Operations and Outcome for Plastic Surgeons (TOPS). This data, combined with the annual survey sent to American Board of Medical Specialties certified physicians most likely to perform these procedures, results in the most comprehensive census on plastic surgery.

View the 2012 National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Statistics report, a blog post authored by ASPS Public Education Chair Committee Chair David Reath, MD, entitled, “ASPS Annual Statistics-Plastic Surgery in 2012,” or to download a “2012 State of Plastic Surgery” infographic.

About ASPS

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the world’s largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons. Representing more than 7,000 Member Surgeons, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. ASPS advances quality care to plastic surgery patients by encouraging high standards of training, ethics, physician practice and research in plastic surgery. You can learn more and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons at PlasticSurgery.org orFacebook.com/PlasticSurgeryASPS and Twitter.com/ASPS_News.

What is the difference between outpatient and inpatient surgery?

There is one basic difference between outpatient and inpatient surgeries. Outpatient refers to any type of procedure that does not require an overnight stay in a medical facility while inpatient procedures require a patient to be hospitalized for at least one night in order to receive the necessary medical treatment for their surgery.

There are very few situations for which we would admit a cosmetic patient to the hospital. But one example would be for a weight loss patient who is undergoing multiple procedures on the same day such as a lower body lift combined with either breast surgery, arm lift or thigh lift. Multiple surgeries, such as these, performed on the same day can make for a very long surgery.

More commonly, reconstructive patients are admitted to the hospital as an inpatient. One example would be breast reconstruction. Dr. Tarola will further discuss all your options with you during your consultation.

Is plastic surgery painful?

One of the most common questions we get before someone undergoes a plastic surgery procedure is, “Is this going to hurt?” That is, of course, a completely natural thought for most people as none of us like to experience pain. Thankfully, the amount of discomfort experienced during and after surgery has been greatly reduced thanks to recent innovations in technology and cosmetic surgery techniques. However, just like with any other surgical procedure, some pain and/or discomfort is inevitable.

Making general statements as to the amount of pain you’re going to experience from a surgical procedure is difficult. Every person’s body is different and the amount of pain one person can take can vary significantly for another. Each person’s healing rate also varies; one person may heal in a week, another in a month.

We understand that any surgery can make someone a nervous wreck and are dedicated to maintaining your comfort level every step of the way. Our staff will discuss and address all of your concerns about your surgery during your consultation.

We take pain management very seriously at our surgical center. We do everything possible to help you understand the surgery and recovery process and what to expect both during and after your procedure. Several factors can influence your perception of pain and what you may experience such as:

The type of procedure being performed
Your previous experience(s) with pain
The use of anesthesia
Your gender (male patients tend to have a lower threshold for pain than females)

If you have any further questions or concerns about what to expect during a specific plastic surgery procedure, please contact us at Tarola Plastic Surgery today to schedule a consultation at 615- 624-8914.

Where is plastic surgery performed?

The ASPS mandates that its members perform surgery that is performed under general anesthesia be performed in an accredited facility. So, that is what I do. Some surgeons choose to not comply with those guidelines and do surgery under general anesthesia in their offices in a non-accredited operating room/facility. There are also non-plastic surgeons who perform plastic/cosmetic surgery in their own facilities that may or may not be accredited because no accredited facility will give them privileges to do those procedures given the fact that they were never formally trained to perform those procedures and are not board certified in plastic surgery.

Not only is our neighbor Middle Tennessee Medical Center accredited by the Joint Commission, but so is the surgery center downstairs from my office (Middle Tenn Ambulatory Surgery Center).

What is the difference between cosmetic and reconstructive surgery?

Cosmetic surgery is when nothing but the patient’s desire to improve their outward physical appearance necessitates their want for plastic surgery. Cosmetic plastic surgery is performed to change or enhance a healthy, normal, functioning part of the body.

Reconstructive surgery is when the surgery is performed to restore proper functionality to a body part or to achieve physical normality. Reconstructive surgery is intended to correct a physical abnormality caused by a birth defect, tumor or disease, infection, or physical trauma.