Aesthetic surgery: Italy ranks fifth in the world. Blepharoplasty and Resurfacing among the rising trends, and rhinoplasty is becoming increasingly popular among young people
di Maria Serena Patriarca
Italians more and more “narcissists”: from the global data concerning Aesthetic Surgery Practices published by ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) in the Global Plastic Surgery Statistics dossier, the leading trends that have characterized the last years.
The first striking fact in this ranking of beauty and health is that the total of aesthetic procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, carried out worldwide, recorded an increase of 7.4% already starting from 2019 compared to the year. previous one.
In Italy alone, a total of over one million medical or cosmetic surgery practices were carried out in 2019 alone, with an increase of 7.8% compared to 2018, a trend that has been stable – in reality – for about five years. Our country thus ranks fifth in terms of the total number of procedures, after the USA, Brazil, Japan and Mexico. Of the total aesthetic practices registered, the actual surgical procedures in the beautiful country were 28.8%. On the other hand, non-surgical treatments increased, which from 68.2% in 2018, reached 71.1% of the total in 2019, increasing by 2.9%.
It is interesting to analyze which are – in this scenario – the 5 most requested interventions. Breast augmentation remains in first place, a position it holds steady for the fifth consecutive year. This is undoubtedly the most requested plastic surgery for aesthetic purposes globally, since it is estimated to represent 15.8% of aesthetic procedures performed throughout the world. In Italy alone, about 56,073 breast augmentation surgeries were recorded in 2019, with an increase in demand of 6.6% compared to 2018, which gives this intervention – also in our country – the “gold medal” on podium of the most requested interventions.
In second place, “silver medal”, is blepharoplasty, which accounts for 12.9% of the total number of Aesthetic Surgery operations in Italy. This remains the intervention most requested by men, with data growing in recent months: a phenomenon that could be closely related to the new ways of working in smart working introduced by the global health emergency. Spending a lot of time in videoconferencing increases, in fact, the desire to correct those facial defects that would be less perceived with other modes of interaction.
In third place, “bronze medal” in this particular ranking, we find liposuction, even if the decrease in requests has continued since 2016, with over 10% fewer liposuction operations per year. In fourth place is placed rhinoplasty (the most requested intervention in the lower age groups), with a significant increase (+ 33%), after a couple of years of decrease, followed closely by lipofilling
The use of biomedical equipment to treat imperfections not only of the face but also of the body is confirmed worldwide. Among the most requested non-invasive Aesthetic Medicine practices (and by both sexes), treatments for the permanent removal of unwanted hair stand out, followed by ablative treatments for resurfacing of the facial skin, aimed at giving a new “texture” to the skin and rejuvenate the face, neck and décolleté. Without forgetting the chemical peels, always very popular.
The face, therefore, still remains at the center of attention as regards the practices of Aesthetic Medicine carried out in the offices of plastic surgeons. Botulinum Toxin and Hyaluronic Acid, used to correct the signs of aging in the various areas of the face, are confirmed by far among the most sought-after practices, both worldwide and in our country. Suffice it to say that only in Italy, in 2019, there was an increase in the use of Botulinum Toxin of 15%, and a + 21% was reached as regards Hyaluronic Acid.
