Cosmetic surgery around the world

The American Society and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery have released the data on cosmetic procedures performed around the world. The perception of ideal beauty changes with the continents. In the U.S. it’s all about toned arms and a full, but natural, bust line. In Brazil a buttock augmentation is the rage on Ipanema beach. Eyelid lifts are the most popular surgeries among Afghan women, who want to look like their Bollywood idols. All around the world, for those that don’t fit their preferred image, surgery is now the go-to solution.

Despite being in the middle of a world-wide recession Plastic Surgery is considered a valued expenditure.  The latest figures show almost 15 million people around the globe were treated by Plastic Surgeons.  The majority of those receiving treatment had non-surgical procedures; such as fillers, Botox cosmetic, Dysport and laser hair removal.  Still almost 7 million surgeries were performed to enhance people’s appearance. The U.S. accounts for 20 % of these surgeries and the most common procedures were breast augmentation and liposuction. Brazil accounts for 10% of the world wide cosmetic surgery and again liposuction and breast augmentation are the leading procedures. Brazil leads the world in buttock augmentation and fat grafting procedures. The Brazilian butt lift adds your own fat which is obtained with liposuction and then transferred back into the patient.   America may lead the world in total procedures, but if you look at the treatments in ratio to population actually the South Koreans are the biggest fans of Plastic Surgery. One in 77 South Koreans has had Plastic Surgery.

Plastic Surgery trends need to be approached with caution. Just as fashions tend to change over time so will Plastic Surgery procedures. Many cultures are opting to remove their ethnic features to look more main stream.   Nose reshaping is very popular in the Middle East with patients asking to have their nose look smaller and more up turned. It is a status symbol to be able to afford surgery and bandages are worn as a badge of honor long after they are no longer required. In Japan creating an eyelid fold is very popular. One of the extreme trends is practiced in South Korea.  Korean women are having surgery which includes fracturing the jaw and repositioning it to narrow the face. These surgeries are very expensive and can have severe complications. Patients need to be cautious when it comes to drastic alterations in their appearance. Remember trends tend to change over time and what is popular today may not be so tomorrow. 

The global demand for Plastic Surgery is growing at a rate of about 10 % per year.  Medical tourism is also on the rise. Patients are opting to travel to foreign countries to have their surgery at reduced prices. However extreme caution is required. Just three years ago it was revealed that the PIP implant company in France was distributing breast implants with industrial grade silicone in them. Tens of thousands of patients required surgery to remove these dangerous implants. Patient using American made implants need not worry for these devices are strictly regulated by the FDA.

Health benefits of Breast Reduction surgery

Press release: 07/30/2013

Arlington Heights, Ill. - Breast reduction surgery produces measurable improvements in several important areas of health and quality of life, reports a study in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The study used the BREAST-Q© questionnaire, a well-validated survey instrument, to document the physical and psychosocial health benefits of breast reduction surgery. "The improvement in physical well-being is important for justification of insurance coverage," according to the paper by Dr. Michelle Coriddi and colleagues of Wexner Medical Center at the Ohio State University, Columbus.

Documented Gains in Well-Being after Breast Reduction
The study was designed to evaluate and confirm the benefits of breast reduction surgery-one of the most commonly performed breast plastic surgery procedures. Previous studies have found it highly effective in relieving symptoms related to overly large breasts.

The BREAST-Q was used to obtain a more complete picture of the clinical outcomes and is "the only questionnaire to assess breast reduction outcomes that meets international and federal standards for questionnaire development," according to Dr. Coriddi and coauthors.

In a series of 49 patients undergoing breast reduction, 78 percent anonymously completed the BREAST-Q before and/or after surgery. Changes in patient-reported satisfaction and quality of life after breast reduction were assessed.

The results showed significant improvement in all four areas evaluated on both the before and after questionnaires: satisfaction with the appearance of the breasts and psychosocial, sexual and physical well-being. On a 100-point scale, satisfaction with breast appearance increased from about 20 before surgery to more than 80 afterward.

There were also large improvements in scores for psychosocial well-being: from 41 to 84, sexual well-being: from 40 to 78, and physical well-being: from 43 to 81. As reported in previous studies, the procedure relieved pain in the breast, neck, back and shoulders.

BREAST-Q Helps Meet Need for Evidence-Based Outcomes Data
Satisfaction with breast appearance was most strongly related to satisfaction with the overall outcome. In addition to reducing pain, breast reduction led to significant improvements in sleep and ability to exercise.

The new study is important confirmation that breast reduction leads to improvements in physical and psychosocial well-being. "The improvement in physical activity, decrease in costly chronic medical complaints and improvement in overall quality of life indicated by this survey study validates insurance coverage for this procedure," the researchers write.

Dr. Coriddi and colleagues note that the benefits of breast reduction are seen shortly after surgery, as little as six weeks. Improvements also occur after relatively small reductions in breast size-which argues against arbitrary insurance coverage guidelines for the amount of tissue removed. The researchers plan further studies using the BREAST-Q to assess breast reduction outcomes, including more patients and long-term follow-up.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

About ASPS

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the world's largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons. Representing more than 7,000 Member Surgeons, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. ASPS advances quality care to plastic surgery patients by encouraging high standards of training, ethics, physician practice and research in plastic surgery. You can learn more and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons at PlasticSurgery.org or Facebook.com/PlasticSurgeryASPS and Twitter.com/ASPS_News.