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News in the industry
The demand for aesthetic medicine procedures and services has advanced spectacularly and continues to grow at an exponential rate. Less invasive and incapacitating techniques; the emergence of aesthetic medicine as a well-defined and organized specialty within the medical; the demographic impact of the baby boomers; the images conveyed by the media; and the flourishing cosmeceutical industry are just a few of the factors that help explain the popularity of this specialty.
Cosmetic surgery has become more acceptable. Since the mid-to late nineties the market has undergone dramatic change, as technology improved and opened the doors to the growth in cosmetic enhancement treatments. What was once considered unacceptable has become an expectation for the ageing population and the demand for cosmetic and corrective treatments for a new set of patients is evidence of this.*
Laser techniques and new technologies have brought a new life to cosmetic surgery. Botox injections are the nation’s top non-surgical/non-invasive cosmetic procedure, representing 30% of the non invasive procedures. **
Baby Boomers embrace cosmetic procedures. Liposuction proved to be the nation’s top cosmetic surgical procedure in 2004 with the average age of patients being 41 years old. **
Generation X embracing non-invasive cosmetic procedures. Generation Xers, those between the ages of 30 – 40, are turning towards Dermabrasion, Laser Hair Removal and Microderm-abrasion treatments, representing nearly 36% of non-invasive treatments performed in 2004.**
Women are leading the way into the doctor’s chair. Women are seeking 85.5% of all cosmetic enhancement procedures; the most popular includes liposuction, breast augmentation and non-surgical facelift. Men seek 14.5% of all cosmetic treatments; the most popular includes liposuction. 87% of all patients are between the ages of 35-50, 11% were aged 19-34 leaving 2% over the age of 50. *
* Source: Cosmetic Surgery Quick Facts. Medicard's Statistics 2003
** Source: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, 2004 Procedural Census, January 2005