Latest statistics reveal male cosmetic surgery trends
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) is the professional association that regulates the cosmetic surgery industry in the UK. It is a not-for-profit organisation, with responsibility for the advancement of education and practice of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for public benefit and has more than 300-member surgeons. As such, it has access to data that illustrates the latest trends in the nation’s cosmetic surgery wish list. The figures are in for 2017, and it’s an interesting read, with data showing that the overall number of people in the UK opting for cosmetic surgery in 2917 dropped compared with 2016 – by 7.9%.
What’s hot and what’s not
Breast augmentation still tops the list as the most popular procedure in the UK, and this bucks the overall trend, with a 6% growth in uptake compared with the previous year. Breast reductions also remain popular, also seeing a 6% rise in uptake. Conversely, eyelid surgery, brow lifts, liposuction and face/neck lifts all saw significant declines year-on-year.
Interestingly, the reason for the decline in men and women opting for surgery in the UK last year is thought to be because of the rise in effective, non-surgical procedures.
Shifting priorities for men
BAAPS’ latest cosmetic surgery data shows a clear trend towards men, in particular, deciding against surgical procedures, with the widely accepted ‘dad bod’ label reassuring more and more men that it is perfectly acceptable to have a less than perfect physique.
Former BAAPS President Rajiv Grover, who works as a consultant plastic surgeon and contributes to BAAPS’ annual report, comments: “For men, the media’s adoption and celebration of the more natural looking ‘dad bod’ is possibly a driver in this interesting trend, shifting the focus to the face rather than the body, in contrast to recent years – a shift that has lessened the pressure to sport a sculpted figure and instead, accept a bit of roundness or softness. Society, unfortunately, has a history of being more forgiving towards men’s physiques than women’s.”
It is widely suggested that the media is also a little more understanding of men showing off a softer ‘dad bod’ compared with the women’s equivalent, which no doubt gives men greater confidence that they will not necessarily be placed under the same scrutiny as women. Regardless of this, the love that we have of sharing our lives on social media, it is inevitable that nips, tucks, tweaks (and flattering camera angles) will remain of interest to men and women in the UK for the foreseeable future.