Growing Popularity of Cosmetic Surgery in the UK

The British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons or BAAPS releases statistical overviews of top cosmetic surgery numbers and trends every year. In 2015, the UK saw a 12.6% increase in invasive cosmetic procedures from the year before. This is a huge development considering there was a 9% decrease in 2014 due to surgery scares, fear of botched procedures, as well as the slow British economy. That all changed in 2015 when more than 51,000 people opted to undergo for cosmetic surgery. This growth is attributed to two major reasons:

1. More celebrities and prominent figures are coming out and talking about their cosmetic procedures. Society is now seeing cosmetic procedures as a normal thing rather than a taboo or a secret. It can even be a sign of status and prominence to be able to undergo cosmetic surgeries in the UK.

1. The public is now more educated and informed on what cosmetic surgery is all about. Some patients prefer surgical treatments—which offers longer lasting effects—to less invasive cosmetic procedures.

The cosmetic surgery market is still dominated by women, with 91% of procedures accounted done on females. But studies show that the number of men who requested cosmetic procedures has doubled in the last ten years. In 2005, men accounted for over 2000 treatments but in 2015, this number reached over 4,500. According to statistics, requests for male breast reductions increased by 13% while facial procedures for rose by 15%. Doctors say the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery among the male population is all due to the change in trends seen in 2015. Gone are the days when men opted for the hyper-masculine look. Now, more men are looking for a sharper and slim appearance.

One of the most popular cosmetic procedures is liposuction and it has seen a growth of 20% among male and female customers. The top cosmetic procedure among women is still breast augmentation with eyelid surgery and face and neck lifts close behind.

The reputation of cosmetic surgery has significantly improved, thanks to the joint effort of the government and medical institutions. A register is set up to record every breast augmentation procedure in the UK. Advertisements that offer free boob job contests are also being regulated. The UK’s cosmetic surgery industry used to be worth £750 million, but now, it is reportedly worth over £3 billion.

Elite Surgical is a leading healthcare provider of both cosmetic surgical and non-surgical treatments with clinics in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Yorkshire.