With people becoming increasingly conscious about their physical appearance, it is not surprising that the demand for cosmetic procedures is increasing. The urge to look more youthful, advancements in technologies which have made these treatments safer, simpler and more efficient, celebrities and selfies, are all factors that have spurred the popularity of aesthetic treatments. A survey by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) provides information to support this. The report says dermatologic surgeons performed nearly 22 percent more medically necessary and cosmetic procedures in 2013 than the previous year.
From nearly 8 million treatments in 2012, ASDS surgeons performed 9.5 million treatments in 2013. The rise was noted across the board in all categories which included a wide range of cosmetic treatments, led by skin cancer related procedures.
An ASDS consumer cosmetic survey conducted in 2013 indicated that excess weight is the top cosmetic concern for many respondents and more than half also cited wrinkles around the eyes, skin texture and/or discoloration, and sagging skin as major issues.
This survey showed a nearly 22 percent increase in body sculpting techniques of which the non-invasive fat-freezing procedure – Cryolipolysis – made up more than half. Laser lipolysis, a minimally invasive treatment which uses low-level laser energy to break up fat cells saw a jump of 47 percent in one year.