Ever wondered what type of plastic surgery is the most common among Americans? The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has the statistics you’ve been looking for. According to their Top 5 Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Procedures, a part of their 2019 report, these are the most common procedures in the US.

1. Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation, more commonly referred to as the “boob job”, is the number one procedure. This is perhaps not a huge shocker. There were a total of 299,715 procedures performed last year, 3 % less than in 2018.

Breast surgery involves either the use of implants or transportation of fat from other areas of the body in order to increase the breast size. The procedure is also used to restore the breast size after weight loss or pregnancy. Breast augmentation could also be used to alter the shape of the breasts. For instance, you can get a more rounded shape or enhance the size of one breast if the other is bigger. 

2. Liposuction

Liposuction, sometimes called “lipo”, is the second most common procedure. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it doesn’t involve the lips. During the procedure, the surgeons remove fat from certain parts of the body, in order to improve contours and proportions. In 2019, a total of 265,209 liposuctions were performed in the US, which is 3 % more than the year before.

A liposuction is not a plastic surgery procedure for curing obesity, however. In fact, the ideal candidate is someone who is bothered by excess fat deposits, but who are not able to remove said deposits through proper dieting and exercise. Good candidates are healthy, and within 30% of their ideal weight. The candidate´s skin should be firm and elastic. 

3. Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid surgery – which is also referred to by its medical term, blepharoplasty – is a procedure that alters the eyelids. It could be used for both aesthetic and functional reasons. For example, loose skin can push the upper eyelid down, which can impair the vision. 211,005 procedures were performed last year, which is 2 % up from 2018. 

The surgery can be performed on the upper, lower or both eyelids. For instance, it is used for bags under the eyes, for fatty deposits that give the eyelids a puffy look or for excess skin around the eyes. The eyelids could also be affected by other parts of the face, like the forehead. A plastic surgeon will be able to find out what causes the issue. 

4. Nose reshaping

Nose reshaping, also called “nose job”, is the fourth most common procedure. The medical term for it is “rhinoplasty”. As the name suggests, the surgery aims to alter the shape of the nose, either for aesthetic or for functional reasons. In 2019, 207,284 nose-reshaping procedures were performed, which is 3 % less than the year before.

Nose-reshaping can be used to get a smaller nose or change the direction of the tip. It can also fix a deviated septum, a condition where one nasal passage is uneven, making the other more narrow. A deviated septum can lead to various issues like breathing difficulties, nose bleeds, or sinus infections. 

5. Facelift

Rhytidectomy, more commonly known as a facelift, is the fifth most common cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in the US. With 123,685 procedures last year, it’s considerably less common than breast augmentation but its popularity has grown by 2 % since 2018. The procedure is all about improving signs of aging in order to restore a more youthful look.

When people age, the skin becomes thinner and the face loses volume. This often results in sagging in some parts of the face. A facelift can make such loose skin appear younger. The procedure is not able to cure aging, though.

The 5 most common procedures

These are the 5 most common cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. And then they are not counting minimally-invasive procedures like botulinum. Such procedures are actually much more common than the surgical ones. Botulinum Toxin Type A alone had 7,7 million procedures in 2019. 

Each year, the organization publishes a new report with updated numbers. What procedures will top the list in 2020?