The Most Requested Surgical Procedures
Despite a gradual shift toward non-surgical treatments, surgical procedures remain highly sought after. According to global data from 2019, breast augmentation was the most requested plastic surgery procedure for the fifth consecutive year, accounting for 15.8% of all aesthetic procedures performed worldwide.
In Italy, approximately 56,073 breast augmentation surgeries were performed in 2019, marking a 6.6% increase in demand compared to 2018. This confirms its position as the most requested cosmetic surgery in the country. Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) ranks second among the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in Italy, accounting for 12.9% of total cosmetic surgeries performed nationwide.
Trends in the United States
In the United States, the most performed cosmetic surgical procedure in 2022 was liposuction, with over 2.3 million procedures, reflecting a 21.1% increase from the previous year. Following liposuction, the most requested procedures were breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty, and breast lift, with the latter replacing rhinoplasty in the top five.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) report, women aged 31 to 45 are the most likely to undergo popular procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominoplasty. Research indicates that the primary motivations for cosmetic surgery among women include:
- Seeking a more youthful and refreshed appearance, particularly due to aging-related changes, exacerbated by pandemic stress
- Desiring body enhancements after noticing recent physical changes
- Addressing aesthetic concerns that have been overlooked or untreated over time
- Boosting self-esteem and confidence
Among men, the most requested cosmetic surgeries include rhinoplasty (nose surgery), which ranks as the most performed procedure. This is followed by blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), aimed at lifting the eyelids and reducing under-eye bags, and gynecomastia correction, a procedure designed to address excess breast tissue in men.
Surgical vs. Nonsurgical Practices
The pandemic has affected cosmetic plastic surgery activities in no small way , as reflected in global data for 2020 published by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).
In 2019, Italy ranked fifth worldwide for the number of cosmetic surgical procedures performed. However, within just three years, it dropped to eighth place, following the United States, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and Argentina. The total number of aesthetic procedures in Italy declined from 1,088,704 in 2019 to approximately 830,868, marking a 10% decrease in surgical interventions. Despite this decline, non-surgical procedures increased by 5.7%, reinforcing a pre-pandemic trend toward minimally invasive treatments.
However, cosmetic medicine has experienced a rapid resurgence following the lifting of lockdown restrictions, driven by a phenomenon known as the Zoom Effect. This trend has led patients to prioritize aesthetic treatments aimed primarily at enhancing facial appearance. If before the pandemic, users only compared themselves to big stars, actors, and celebrities, today the situation has changed dramatically: all the time spent on social media or in front of a screen staring at one’s image for long hours while smart working has made people more aware of their flaws and prompted them to seek cosmetic surgery.
As a result, the desire for various aesthetic modifications to enhance one’s appearance and feel more confident has grown. Today people are experiencing a new form of self-awareness and self-care that passes, in part, through the opportunities offered by new beauty treatments.
