Demand Jumped in 2003 for Minimally Invasive Plastic Surgery, Exceeding 6.9M Procedures, Up 41 Pct. Over 2002, American Society of Plastic Surgeons Reports 2003 Statistics

3/8/2004

From: Theresa Hill, LaSandra Cooper, or Brian Hugins, all of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 847-228-9900 or media@plasticsurgery.org

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., March 8 -- Options to erase the signs of aging to delay or avoid invasive surgery are becoming increasingly popular. According to statistics released today 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(r), which received media attention with its late 2003 FDA approval, as well as strong marketing from the Botox(r) 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(r) and CosmoPlast(r), 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.

ASPS offers the most valid, reliable statistics on plastic surgery procedures. In 2003, statistics were collected through the first online national database for plastic surgery procedures called Tracking Operations and Outcomes for Plastic Surgeons (TOPS). This data combined with the annual survey sent to more than 16,000 boarded physicians in specialties most likely to perform plastic surgery procedures resulted in the most authoritative report on plastic surgery procedures.

ASPS is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world and the foremost authority on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. With nearly 5,000 members, more than any other cosmetic surgery organization, ASPS is the definitive voice of the plastic surgery specialty. Viewed throughout the world as the pinnacle of information for new techniques, advances and plastic surgery trends, the society represents 94 percent of all the board-certified plastic surgeons in the U.S. Ninety-four percent of all ASPS members perform cosmetic plastic surgery and 89 percent of all ASPS members perform reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS, founded in 1931, represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.