The Association of German Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons – the VDÄPC – regularly publishes the results of regularly conducted survey studies among physicians. Related surveys reflect developments and trends in cosmetic plastic surgery.
The result of 2018 treatment and operation statistics shows that cosmetic surgery is becoming more and more popular. In contrast to the previous year, according to VDÄPC statistics, the proportion of interventions increased by around nine percent.
Anti-wrinkle injections are very popular
Cosmetic procedures are increasingly popular with both men and women in this country. Those affected most often opt for wrinkle injections with botulinum. More than 19,900 people opted for this treatment in 2018 alone. In second place are treatments with hyaluronic, which almost 18,300 men and women underwent in Germany in 2018. Lip corrections, which were mainly performed by women, came next.
Nevertheless, the proportion of women for lip corrections decreased somewhat compared to the previous year. Guides provide information on what minimally invasive treatments really are. According to the VDÄPD survey, cosmetic surgeons and members of the association performed almost 44,300 minimally invasive treatments in 2018. With this value, the share increased by around 15% compared to the previous year. According to experts, this high popularity is due to the fact that a pretty face is always more important to people than a good figure.
Women overwhelmingly opt for minimally invasive procedures
Women usually start with minimally invasive procedures. In this context, doctors point out that women generally find it easier to decide on a minor procedure than men. Anti-wrinkle treatments are by far the most popular among women.
In 2018 alone, almost 19,000 women underwent botulinum treatment in Germany. This number increased by approximately 14% compared to the previous year.
This form of treatment is in high demand for hyaluronic acid procedures, for which cosmetic surgeons reported a total of 17,568 treatments for women in 2018.
This cosmetic surgery was therefore performed more frequently than the previous year. Lip correction ranks third among women, followed by breast augmentation and upper eyelid tightening.
Cosmetic plastic surgery procedures for women
Unlike minimally invasive treatments the number of cosmetic-plastic-surgical procedures increased by approximately two percent from 2017 to 2018. Of the approximately 33,200 operations, most women opted for an upper eyelid lift, with a share of 4,388 operations.
Liposuction ranked second with a share of 3,804 procedures, although its popularity is slowly declining. Third place is occupied by breast augmentation with nearly 3,700 operations. Nevertheless, the number of such surgeries is slowly increasing.
Interest in cosmetic surgeries is also increasing among men
Although women are six times more likely to opt for cosmetic treatments than men, the absolute proportion of surgical treatments for men has doubled in the recent past.
While men underwent a total of 4,083 operations in 2017, that figure rose to 8,621 operations in 2018.
This means that there was talk of a growth rate of 111% in one year.
According to statements by medical professionals, this trend is due to the fact that baby boomers from their mid-fifties are particularly likely to seek the support of doctors at this age. There is a clear trend towards male preference for surgical operations.
Upper eyelid tightening is very popular
In 2017, upper eyelid tightening ranked fifth among men, but this procedure was already the most popular procedure among men in 2018. In contrast, liposuction fell from fourth to second among men .
The next places for beauty-conscious men are nose corrections, gynecomastia, and tummy tucks. In the popularity list of purely surgical treatments, breast augmentation has risen from third to first place. The tightening of the upper eyelids takes a back seat.
The selfie boom as an important (dangerous) motivation
With women’s growing interest in cosmetic surgery, doctors are also reporting an alarming trend. The selfie boom is seen as a dangerous development that creates false ideals among young women. Photo-edited selfies appear to younger generations as a new reality to achieve. Through these virtual beauties, young women strive for ideals that simply cannot be achieved by serious cosmetic plastic surgery. Additionally, cosmetic surgeons are noticing another trend that worries them. We are talking about desired corrections, the proportion of which increases significantly after bad previous operations. An important reason for this development is the choice of many people to prefer low-cost operating theaters and therefore to accept compromises in terms of quality or safety.
In addition, there are still too few patients who turn to doctors who have in turn specialized in the respective interventions. The problem in this context is that the term “cosmetic surgeon” is not protected. If possible, those affected should therefore consult a specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery, since only doctors with many years of training and experience are authorized to use this title. In addition, patients play it safe if they go to a member of a recognized and reputable association when choosing a doctor.
