Aesthetic procedures, whether surgical or not, are becoming increasingly popular among Americans. From cheek contouring and buccal fat removal to height-increasing leg-lengthening surgery, new trends are emerging each day and inspiring consumers to undergo treatments. As stated in the Aesthetic Society’s Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Databank report for 2022, Americans spent over $11.8 billion on aesthetic procedures, up 2% from 2021. BeautyMatter lays out the report's key statistics: 

• The overall number of aesthetic procedures increased by 14% in 2022 compared to the previous year.
• Surgical aesthetic procedures saw a 12% decrease in 2022 and nonsurgical procedures grew by 23%.
• While surgical procedures accounted for only 20% of procedures overall, they accounted for 70% of the aesthetic market's revenue. 
• Nonsurgical procedures saw an increase due to a demand for infusions, skin treatments, body contouring, and neurotoxins. 
• All of the most popular surgical procedures were down in 2022. Body procedures were down 13%, and breast procedures were down 11%.
• While 2022 showed a 12% drop in total surgical procedures, it is compared against a particularly strong year in 2021.
• Surgical procedures began soaring in the second half of 2020 and reached their peak in spring 2021. 2021 eclipsed pre-pandemic surgical counts by 55%.
• Liposuction experienced a larger surge than the other most popular surgical procedures during the pandemic, rising 85% vs. 2019 levels (compared with 74% rise for abdominoplasty and 39% for breast augmentations). While down 12% from 2021, the procedure was still 63% above its pre-pandemic level.
• Despite surgical procedures falling in 2022 compared to 2021, surgical procedures remained 37% above 2019 counts. The increase was fueled by huge gains in body procedures, such as liposuction (+63%) and abdominoplasty (+55%).
• Nonsurgical treatments were slower to recover from the pandemic decline, but saw a significant increase in spring of 2021, and it is predicted they reached their peak in spring of 2022.
• Approximately 55% of all surgical procedures have been performed in the first half of the year, with April and June being the busiest months. This pattern is largely consistent among body and breast procedures as well as the other surgical procedures.
• The average plastic surgeon performed 252 surgical procedures in 2022, compared with 289 in 2021 (13% fewer procedures per surgeon). However, their surgery counts remained 27% above their pre-pandemic level of 198 in 2019.
• On average, the cost of a surgical procedure increased 12% in 2022, and the cost of a nonsurgicall procedure decreased 10%. Before 2022, surgeons’ fees had remained largely unchanged in recent years.
• Women accounted for 95% of all procedures in 2022.
• The most popular age group for surgical procedures was 51- to 70-year olds, accounting for 36% of surgical procedures. The 36-50 age group represented 30%, followed closely by 17- to 35-year-olds with 27%. Patients over 70 represented 8% of surgical procedures.

“The landscape of aesthetic plastic surgery is undergoing a transformation as revealed by The Aesthetic Society's 2022 report.” says Melinda Haws, MD, President of The Aesthetic Society. “With nonsurgical procedures witnessing a surge and surgical procedures still accounting for 70% of revenue, the industry is moving towards a future defined by dynamic trends. This showcases our industry's ability to embrace innovation and meet evolving patient preferences. As we journey forward, The Aesthetic Society is dedicated to supporting our patients through top-tier member education.”

Although the demand for surgical aesthetic procedures is still high, nonsurgical treatments took the limelight in 2022. It can be argued that this increase can be attributed to the lesser chance of side effects and complications with nonsurgical treatments compared to surgical treatments. As many nonsurgicaltreatments often require upkeep and can have their effects reversed to an extent, several consumers, especially younger generations, see these procedures as the norm. Additionally, social media provides constant exposure to the idea of the “perfect body” and information on how to achieve this through aesthetics services, with 48.5% of female university students stating that it was content on such apps that influenced their decision to seek treatment. While the younger generation is seeking cosmetic procedures now more than ever, the number of older consumers undergoing these procedures is still significant, suggesting that society views aesthetic alterations as something for all regardless of age. As we continue further into 2023, it will be interesting to see the trends that emerge and the metrics that accompany them—for now, it is clear that aesthetic experts will be continue to reap the benefits if these numbers continue to follow the pattern presented across the report's data.