Global plastic surgery body ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) have released some interesting stats on the number of cosmetic procedures performed in 2014.
And they make compelling reading for those looking to offer non-surgical treatments.
The figures, published on ISAP’s website on Wednesday, show a drop in the total number of cosmetic procedures performed in 2014 compared to the previous year (20,236,901 vs 23,474,273).
Breaking that down by area, surgical procedures fell from 11,599,336 to 9,645,395, while non-surgical procedures dropped from 11,874,937 to 10,591,506.
But while they both saw decreases, the non-surgical side held up markedly better – and increased its percentage of the total market.
Cosmetic procedures – a shift taking place?
The figures suggest a shift is under way, with non-surgical treatments continuing to gain ground at the expense of surgery.
Though non-surgical procedures already accounted for the majority of total procedures by a slim margin, the scales have tipped even further in their favour.
Looking at the stats in percentage terms, non-surgical procedures accounted for 50.6% of the total in 2013, but an increased percentage of 52.3% in 2014.
We can speculate on the reasons why people are increasingly choosing non-surgical options. It may be that cost is a factor in a still-shaky global economy – non-surgical procedures being generally far less expensive than surgery.
Or it could be part of the shift we’re seeing towards a less-is-more approach. Subtle and natural are fast becoming watchwords in the aesthetic industry. Nobody wants to look ‘done’, and non-surgical treatments are seen by many patients as less invasive than surgery, with results that are less likely to be apparent to others.
Whatever their motivations, patients are speaking. And for aesthetic professionals, this brave new world represents a very exciting opportunity.
Non-surgical treatments – a great time to train
The table below shows the ISAPS data for non-surgical procedures:
As you can see, Botulinum Toxin (including BOTOX® Dysport and Xeomin) holds on to its position at the top of the non-surgical tree. In fact, it remains the world’s most popular procedure overall – both non-surgical and surgical.
And again, though the numbers have dropped, it has actually increased its share of the total cosmetic market – from 21.9% to 23.9%.
So if you’re a medical professional thinking about a move into aesthetics, Botox training still represents the best investment you can make for your future career.
But the stats are also impressive for chemical peel and laser resurfacing. In 2013, between them – and combined with dermabrasion – there were only 773,442 procedures in total. In 2014, chemical peel and laser skin resurfacing alone racked up a combined total of 973,314 procedures.
So it may be worth your while to add chemical peel training to your repertoire too.
Though the ISAPS data is based solely on countries from which they obtained sufficient survey responses (USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Germany, France & Colombia), the scale of the survey lends weight to the findings.
And ISAPS themselves say they consider the data to be representative of the industry globally.
“We have improved our survey methodology to reflect a detailed profile of our field,” said Susumu Takayanagi, MD, ISAPS president. “Our society is committed to following sound analytical practices in creating this valuable report.”
Cosmetic Courses offer medical professionals expert training in a wide range of cosmetic procedures. If you would like information on our aesthetic training courses, or would like to book a place, please contact the team on 01844 318712.
