AestheticsWire Exclusive: New AAFPRS Stats Highlight Rise in Facial Plastic Surgery
Facial plastic surgery requests are on the rise, according to the 2022 statistics from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).
Fully 58% of AAFPRS facial plastic surgeons reported an increase in bookings and treatments in 2022, compared with 2021, and more than 75% said they saw a bump of more than 10% in patient demand.
“Despite high inflation and a return to the workplace, we are still seeing a growth in interest in cosmetic procedures,” Mark Hamilton, MD, tells AestheticsWire. He is a facial plastic surgeon in Indianapolis and the chair of the AAFPRS Public Information Committee.
Minimally invasive facial plastic surgery procedures accounted for 82% of the 2022 total. Of these, the three most common treatments were neurotoxins, fillers, and topicals such as chemical peels. The top three surgical procedures of 2022 were facelifts, blepharoplasties, and rhinoplasties, the survey showed.
The Zoom Boom—the desire for facial plastic surgery treatments and "tweakments" that followed the rapid rise in Zoom meetings during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic—is still booming: 79% of respondents said the “Zoom effect” remains a major contributing factor in patients’ desire to seek treatment. “While many are returning to the workplace, Zoom and other virtual meetings are here to stay, even if they are not as frequent,” Hamilton says. “Many patients coming in are mentioning their displeasure with their appearance during Zoom meetings, especially regarding their neck and eyes.”
Just shy of 80% of facial plastic surgeons agreed that looking better in selfies also continues to trend upward. Lip lifts, a new category for the 2021 survey, were up 3% in 2022. At least 73% of AAFPRS members performed lip lifts in 2022 compared to 70% in 2021.
Reversing Ozempic Face
Social media is driving other facial plastic surgery trends, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Fifteen percent of facial plastic surgeons reported an increase in buccal fat removal to achieve a slimmer facial appearance. This was followed closely by procedures to fill the hollowed-out "Ozempic face.” This is a side effect of the diabetes weight-loss drug semaglutide.
Many patients may not fully understand what is occurring to their facial structure while on Ozempic (semaglutide, Novo Nordisk), Hamilton says.
"Ozempic can provide many health and cosmetic benefits to our patients—reduced risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, heart disease, and a more healthy and attractive appearance," he says.
The loss of facial volume, however, can really age a patient. “It is important for all facial plastic surgeons to recognize this trend and, when appropriate, counsel patients on options to help reverse the negative effects of Ozempic on their facial appearance,” Hamilton says.
“Given the tremendous benefits of Ozempic and new medications now arriving such as Mounjaro [tirzepatide, Eli Lilly], I expect this trend to only grow,” he says. “We should expect to see more patients coming in looking for options to reverse any negative effects these medications may have on their facial appearance.”
Options may include fillers and fat injections for volume loss and procedures to remove excess skin such as face and neck lifts.
“For some patients, the Ozempic effects on their face may be positive, but for many who are taking this medication later in life, it is not,” he says.
Patients on weight loss medications may want more facial volume, but this may not be aesthetically helpful if they stop their medication and gain weight, he warns.
“The overly sculpted face (Ozempic) is also going to be the big topic of discussion this year,” says AAFPRS President Theda Kontis, MD, a facial plastic surgeon in private practice in Baltimore. “We are starting to see celebrities becoming unrecognizable from overinjection, and I am also noticing some bizarre injection trends reshaping the face unnaturally.”
The Downside of the Uptick in Buccal Fat Removal Requests
On the flip side, facial plastic surgeons now need to be aware of the overpromotion of buccal fat removal, Hamilton says. For younger patients desiring buccal fat removal, the initial benefit of more definition may fade over the decades to an overly gaunt appearance.
“Many patients come in thinking this is a procedure they would benefit from, and as facial plastic surgeons, we need to fully evaluate and counsel these patients on the benefits and downsides of buccal fat removal and to help patients determine whether or not they are a good candidate for this procedure."
Prejuvenation Popularity Still Soars
Consistent with 2021, close to 75% of facial plastic surgeons reported increases in the number of patients under 30 years of age requesting cosmetic surgery or injectables. Prejuvenation and low to no downtime are still top of mind for these age groups.
Close to 80% of AAFPRS members said they believe there will be a greater emphasis on earlier maintenance and age prevention starting when patients are in their 20s and 30s to forestall bigger procedures and surgeries later down the road.
“I also think prejuvenation is going to be big this year,” says Kontis. “We are seeing younger patients now asking what they can do to slow the aging process. “
Overall, women are more likely than men to opt for facial plastic surgery. In 16 of the 18 procedures tracked, surgeons indicated more of their patients were women, with the exception of hair transplantation, which skewed toward men. Otoplasty had the highest gender equality.
About the Survey
The 2022 AAFPRS annual member survey was conducted in December 2022 by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc through an online survey from a select group of the organization’s 2,200 members.