Americans spent more than $13.5 billion on combined (surgical and nonsurgical) aesthetic procedures in a single calendar year for the first time ever, according to statistics from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

The total is an increase of $1.5 billion from 2014. Per the ASAPS, surgical procedures accounted for 58% of the total (more than $8 billion for the first time ever), and nonsurgical procedures accounted for 42% of the total (more than $5 billion for the first time ever).

“Our industry’s growth is considerable, but not at all surprising,” states James C. Grotting, MD, president of ASAPS, in a media release. “It reflects a healthy and robust economy wherein many people can afford to, and want to invest in themselves.”

According to ASAPS statistics, per the release, there are emerging and changing trends from previous years, including:

  • Breast lifts replacing rhinoplasty as the fifth most popular procedure for the year, (with liposuction, breast augmentation, tummy tuck and eyelid surgery in the first through fourth places, respectively)
  • Fat transfer to the face, (a new category for ASAPS this year) instantly landed in the top 10 surgical procedures in the number 9 slot.
  • Nonsurgical skin tightening jumped from ninth to seventh most popular procedure in the nonsurgical category, while also securing the fifth spot for most popular procedures among men, replacing microdermabrasion in the top five for males.
  • Labiaplasty, still considered a “new” procedure, saw another increase in 2015, (16%) as did buttock augmentation, with a 21% increase in implants and fat transfer combined, and a 32% increase in buttock lifts.
  • The two most popular injectables year-over-year, (botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid) both saw continued growth, with botulinum toxin, (BOTOX, Dysport and Xeomin) surpassing 4 million procedures performed and hyaluronic acid, (Juvederm Ultra, Ultra Plus, Voluma, Perlane, Restylane, Belotero) surpassing the 2 million procedures performed mark for the first time this year as well.

“Ever-popular procedures, including liposuction and breast augmentation, also saw growth this year as the first and second most popular surgical procedures overall, accounting for nearly 40% percent of the surgical procedures performed, demonstrating that the power and permanence of the knife continues to dominate the plastic surgery marketplace,” states ASAPS president-elect Daniel C. Mills, MD, in the release.

[Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery]