The year 2020 was not kind to forecasters. When it came to predicting pandemic, social upheaval and economic dislocation, crystal balls went dark. Trend lines sputtered into downward trajectories. The future was not simply unknown — it suddenly seemed unknowable.
But amid the chaos, some long-term trends held steady. In the case of plastic surgery, public interest in many types of procedures continued to grow; and the months of lockdowns, quarantines and virtual consultations didn’t stop patients from reaching out to trusted professionals like experienced Long Island plastic surgeon Lloyd D. Landsman, MD. In fact, imagining a new look turned out to be a healthy way to imagine a bright new future — one in which we all return to normalcy looking refreshed and revitalized.
Consumer Perceptions
In the midst of the pandemic, a survey by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) found that the number of Americans considering a plastic surgery procedure in the near future reached its highest number ever. Of those who never tried a surgical solution to enhance their facial appearance or body profile, a majority were interested in potentially doing so.
Respondents who had tried plastic surgery in the past were especially enthusiastic about choosing an additional procedure. This was particularly true of dermal fillers, Botox, breast augmentation, liposuction and abdominoplasty.
Noninvasive to Surgical Choices
Patients continue to line up for Botox, with 7.69 injections reported in 2019, topping dermal fillers with 2.72 million injections — and rising. That same year the top procedures in the U.S. were breast augmentation, with 299,715 surgeries; liposuction with 265,209; eye enhancement procedures with 211,005 and rhinoplasty at 207,284 (both slightly down from the previous year); facelift with 123,685 procedures; abdominoplasty at 123,427; breast lift at 113,188; neck lift at 54,852; and breast reduction at 46,340.
Even as interest in body contouring procedures has risen substantially, many patients have been turning to less-invasive options before choosing surgery. The explosion in dermal fillers is one reason for this. Each year, new volume-enhancing, collagen-stimulating injectables enter the market; sometimes with very specific applications, such as the ability to target lip lines, forehead creases and crow’s feet.
This may account for the slight decrease in interest for rhinoplasty and eye-specific surgeries such as blepharoplasty and brow lift: Several types of dermal fillers are able to build volume around the nose or smooth lines near the eyes.
For more information on plastic surgery solutions, call or email to schedule an appointment in the Smithtown, Long Island office of board-certified plastic surgeon Lloyd D. Landsman, MD.
