With the start of the new year, it is always helpful to look back at what happened the previous year. Not only is it interesting to remember what was going on in the past year, it can also help shed light on where things might be headed for the coming year. Just in time for 2017, plastic surgery review and information site RealSelf took a look back at the trends in cosmetic surgery for the previous year, according to their users. Not surprisingly, non-invasive cosmetic procedures continue to grow in popularity, along with the increasing acceptance and waning taboos of cosmetic surgery.
Celebrities are Driving Cosmetic Surgery Trends
As with many things in life, if a celebrity endorses it, chances are their fans will follow. This holds true for cosmetic surgery and treatments with products such as Fillmed, as celebrities turn to sites like Instagram to share photos of their post-procedure results.
Chelsea Handler’s Cosmetic Surgery
One example is celebrity Chelsea Handler, who posted pictures to her Instagram after experiencing amazing results from her ProFractional Laser treatment. Her fans took notice of Handler’s glowing skin in the before and after images. When RealSelf compared search results on their site for the treatment before and after the Instagram post, they saw a 2,537% increase in searches. That was a huge increase in interest as fans sought out the non-invasive skin treatment for themselves.
Sharon Osborne’s Cosmetic Surgery
Sharon Osborne is another celebrity who tends to be open about her cosmetic procedures. After mentioning the Halo Laser lift on a talk show, and talking about how well the procedure helped tighten and lift her aging skin, interest jumped. RealSelf saw searches on their site for that particular treatment more than triple following Osborne’s mention.
Other Celebrities’ Cosmetic Surgery
Other celebrities, such as the Kardashians and Jenners, Ariel Winter, Iggy Azalea, and Kaley Cuoco, have been open about their body improvements. As more celebrities open up about their beauty secrets, more non-celebs are not only seeking out those treatments but also opening up to their own friends and family about their fillers and laser procedures. As people increasingly live their lives in a social media spotlight, they seek out the treatments that will help them look their best and open up more about what it took to get that perfect look.
The Rise of Dermal Fillers
As more people turn to less-invasive cosmetic surgery procedures, dermal fillers are continuing to surge in popularity. RealSelf saw a 20% growth in searches on their site related to the wrinkle-filling injections, continuing a growing trend in recent years. One filler in particular stood out this year: Juvederm Volbella. After the lip filler received approval in the U.S. in June, searches related to the injection more than doubled. People are realizing that instead of turning to an invasive surgical procedure to make major changes to their look, they can turn to simple injections to make small improvements to their look.
Fat-Dissolving Injections Make a Big Entrance
For years, patients in Europe have enjoyed fat-dissolving injections such as AQUALYX® fat burner. Finally in 2016 Americans could take advantage of this innovative cosmetic procedure as Kybella gained approval. Patients began asking their doctors about the procedure and searches increased as everyone yearned to learn more about the injection that could eliminate fat. While fat removal of the past involved invasive procedures like liposuction, the new deoxycholic acid injections use a non-invasive procedure to break apart fat cells, reducing the look of fat in stubborn areas such as a double chin. In Europe, doctors use the injections to reduce fat in other areas, such as the belly, thighs, and breasts, so American patients should have more options to look forward to in the future.
Geographical Trends
With the popularity of television shows like The Real Housewives of Orange County, it may seem obvious that California tops the list of cities with the most cosmetic procedures. However, this may not actually be the case. According to RealSelf, Denver, Colorado has the highest number of searches per capita for non-invasive cosmetic procedures. This is followed by San Francisco and San Diego in the top four, along with Minneapolis, Minnesota. Columbus, Ohio also made the top five, followed by Austin, Phoenix, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. Many of these are not the cities most known for beauty obsession, so this may reveal an opportunity for doctors in those areas to expand their services to include more non-invasive aesthetic procedures.
The site also examined trends in surgical treatments, with Miami, Florida topping the list of the most searches per capita. San Antonio, Texas came next, followed by Norfolk, Virginia. Beyond the top three cities were Sacramento, California again, Jacksonville, Florida, and Atlanta, Memphis, Houston, Las Vegas, and Orlando. People in all areas of the U.S. seem to be taking an interest in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures as acceptance grows for the image-altering treatments.
Cosmetic Surgery Trends for 2017
Looking back at 2016 cosmetic surgery trends helps make predictions for the coming year. It would not be surprising if dermal fillers continue to grow in popularity, with people turning to these injections for everything from wrinkle filling to hydration of more youthful skin. Fat-removal injections and other fat-removal procedures should also continue to be popular as people look for a way to rid themselves of their last stubborn pockets of body fat. Through it all, the year may continue to reveal spikes in particular treatments as they gain regulatory approval or are endorsed by a celebrity.
2017 should be an exciting time for cosmetic surgery as interest in non-invasive procedures continues to grow. To buy dermal fillers, fat-removal solutions, and other aesthetic products for your medical practice, visit MedicaDepot.com.
