Findings demonstrate Americans spent over $11.8 billion on aesthetic procedures, up 2% from 2021.
The Aesthetic Society has released its annual Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank report for 2022, highlighting significant trends in the field of aesthetic plastic surgery. The data showcases a 14% increase in total aesthetic procedures, largely attributed to the soaring popularity of nonsurgical procedures, which witnessed a 23% jump last year. In an unprecedented milestone, the 2022 data was sourced from the same 200 plastic surgery practices across the United States, providing consistent quarterly data between 2019 and 2022.
“The landscape of aesthetic plastic surgery is undergoing a transformation as revealed by The Aesthetic Society’s 2022 report,” says Melinda Haws, MD, president of The Aesthetic Society. “With nonsurgical procedures witnessing a surge and surgical procedures still accounting for 70% of revenue, the industry is moving toward a future defined by dynamic trends. This showcases our industry’s ability to embrace innovation and meet evolving patient preferences. As we journey forward, The Aesthetic Society is dedicated to supporting our patients through top-tier member education.”
“The 2022 statistics, drawn from 200 U.S. practices is a significant milestone for aesthetic data, offering consistent insights from 2019 to 2022”, adds Kye Higdon, MD, FACS, communications commissioner of The Aesthetic Society. “From this data we’re able to understand the trends on the horizon for our specialty and can help shape a future for aesthetics that both drives innovation and empowers our patients.”
After experiencing a surge in the second half of 2020 and reaching its peak in the spring of 2021, 2021’s surgical counts surpassed pre-pandemic levels by a whopping 55%. Although 2022 saw a decline in surgical procedures compared to 2021, the numbers remained a notable 37% above the counts in 2019. This increase was largely fueled by significant gains in body procedures, with liposuction (+63%) and abdominoplasty (+55%) leading the way.
Conversely, nonsurgical procedures took some time to recover from the pandemic’s impact, with significant growth observed in the spring of 2021, possibly reaching their peak in the spring of 2022.
Quarterly data from the report indicates that the number of procedures performed by surgeons has been well-balanced throughout the year, with the spring season (April-June) emerging as the most popular period for cosmetic enhancements. Approximately 55% of all surgical procedures were conducted in the first half of the year, with this pattern consistent across body and breast procedures, as well as other surgical treatments.
The average plastic surgeon performed 252 surgical procedures in 2022, showing a 13% decrease from the 289 procedures conducted in 2021. However, despite this decline, surgical counts remained an impressive 27% higher than the pre-pandemic levels of 198 procedures in 2019. 2022 saw Americans spending over $11.8 billion on aesthetic procedures overall, up 2% from the previous year.
Women continued to dominate the demographic of individuals undergoing aesthetic procedures, representing 95% of all procedures. Among surgical procedures, the most popular age group was 51-70-year-olds, accounting for 36% of all surgeries. The 36-50 age group closely followed with 30%, and 17-35-year-olds accounted for 27%. Patients over the age of 70 represented 8% of all surgical procedures.
View a full copy of The Aesthetic Society’s 2022 statistics here.
