UK sees rise in plastic surgery uptake

Plastic surgery within the UK has increased in popularity in recent years, according to new figures. Data released by the British Association of aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) shows that more cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in the UK in 2013 than in previous years.

Last year saw a 17 per cent increase in the number of cosmetic surgery procedures that were performed in the UK, reaching 50,122 in 12 months. Of those procedures, 45,365 (91 per cent) were performed on women, with breast augmentation using implants being the most popular operations, representing a 13 per cent increase on 2012's figures. 

Following on from the popular 'boob job' was operations performed on the eyelids, which saw an increase of 14 per cent, neck and face lifts, with a rise of 13 per cent and 11 per cent more people received breast reductions in 2013 when compared to 2012. Nose jobs saw a large increase in procedures, with a rise of 19 per cent.

However, the most popular procedure during 2013, when compared to the previous year's figures, was liposuction. The number of women opting to undergo liposuction increased by 43 per cent, while it grew in popularity amongst men, with 28 per cent more having liposuction last year. 

Other procedures also a jumped in popularity amongst men, resulting in a total of 4,757 procedures being performed on males during 2013, representing a 16 per cent increase. The most common procedure for men during the last year was the nose job, with 1,037 procedures, a nine per cent rise.

This was followed by eyelid procedures, which saw a 17 per cent increase in the number of surgeries performed. Male breast reductions also rose by 24 per cent, with 796 procedures carried out in the UK.
Rajiv Grover, consultant plastic surgeon and president of Bapps, said: "Both the UK economy and the British public seem to be well on the way to regaining their shape with the most impressive rise in demand for cosmetic surgery we have seen since the onset of the recession in 2008.

"Patient confidence and also consumer confidence has returned, with Britons choosing to spend on procedures with proven track records such as liposuction, which remains the gold standard for body contouring.

"The continued double digit rise of cosmetic surgery underlines the fact that whether it is breast augmentation or anti-ageing procedures like face lifting, the public are choosing tried and tested surgical methods rather than the magical sounding quick fixes that fail to deliver promised results."