By Tara Parker-Pope

Breast implant operations have surged 40% in the past decade, with nearly 300,000 women last year opting to increase their breast size.

New data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that breast enhancement, through lifts and implants, remains a priority for women seeking cosmetic surgery. By contrast, nose jobs, liposuction and lip augmentation are all on the decline.

Last year surgeons performed 296,203 breast implants, a 2% increase over 2009 and a 39% jump since 2000. Women in the Mountain and Pacific states are most likely to seek breast enhancement, accounting for nearly 40% of procedures.

Breast lifts, which reached nearly 90,000 last year, are up 9% since 2009 and 70% since 2000. And 82,871 operations were performed to reduce breast size, an increase of 6% from the year before but still 2% lower than 2000. (Additionally, 18,280 male breast reduction operations were performed.)

About 21,700 operations were performed to remove breast implants. That’s 9% more of these procedures than in 2009, but a drop of 47% since 2000.

More.

[Source: The New York Times Health Blog]