Demand Jumped in 2003 For Minimally Invasive Plastic Surgery, Exceeding
6.9 Million Procedures – Up 41% Over 2002

Options to erase the signs of aging to delay or avoid invasive surgery are becoming increasingly popular. According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), consumer demand jumped 41 percent in 2003 for minimally invasive plastic surgery, exceeding more than 6.9 million procedures.

ASPS, a non-profit organization, supports members in their efforts to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1931, the ASPS is the only organization with more than a decade of plastic surgery statistics.

Leading the jump in demand were Botox® injections, up 157 percent from 2002 to 2003, and collagen injections, up 30 percent. With injectables like Restylane®, which received media attention with its late 2003 FDA approval, as well as strong marketing from the Botox®® manufacturer, the general public became more aware of these alternatives. Ultimately, the concept of cosmetic injectables has become more mainstream and accepted.

In addition, FDA approval of human collagen, CosmoDerm® and CosmoPlast®, more than likely attributed to the increase in the jump in collagen injections. Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast make it easier to receive collagen injections because they do not require an allergy test ahead of time and, therefore, do not require a waiting period.

“With the increased popularity of injectables comes an increased concern that people may be turning to physicians, or worse - non-physicians, who do not have the level of medical training needed to properly use these treatments,” said Rod Rohrich, MD , ASPS president. “I’m pleased that, overall, minimally invasive procedures by ASPS board-certified plastic surgeons were up 64 percent from last year, reflecting that the public is hearing our message about the benefits of using qualified and licensed experts,” added Dr. Rohrich.

Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures
The overall top five procedures were Botox® injections (2,891,390), chemical peel (995,238), microdermabrasion (935,984), laser hair removal (623,297) and collagen injections (576,255).

Women made up 86 percent of those who had minimally invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, and men made up 14 percent of patients. Botox® injections were the most popular minimally invasive procedure with both genders.

The 35-50 age group made up 46 percent of all minimally invasive procedures in 2003. The 51-64 age group made up 26 percent of the population receiving these procedures, while patients 19 to 34 made up 19 percent of the minimally invasive procedures. Botox® was the most popular treatment among all three age groups.

Reprinted with permission from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Web site.

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