40 per cent reduction in cosmetic surgery procedures

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has reported a 40 per cent drop in the number of Britons undergoing cosmetic surgery, which it claims, is because more people are turning to temporary measures such as facial injectables.

BAAPS noted that the number of people undergoing surgery totalled less than 31,000 in 2016, dipping to the lowest in nine years.

The audit showed that on women, 28,341 procedures were carried out, a fall of 39.1 per cent from 2015; while on men, there were 2,409, a fall of 47.8 per cent.

It has been assumed that one of the reasons behind the dip in people choosing aesthetic procedures is due to global uncertainty, with many patients prioritising stability and comfort over major decisions.

According to consultant plastic surgeon and former BAAPS President Rajiv Grover, who compiled the audit: “In a climate of global fragility, the public are less likely to spend on significant alterations and become more fiscally conservative, by and large opting for less costly non-surgical procedures such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion, rather than committing to more permanent changes.

“The background of negative news and economic uncertainty seems to have re-invigorated the famous British ‘stiff upper lip’ –achieved, however, through dermal fillers and wrinkle-relaxing injections, rather than surgery! 

“Indeed, some procedures which have no real non-surgical equivalent such as abdominoplasty and otoplasty (pinning back prominent ears) are some of the few which changed little, with demand for tummy tucks actually recording an impressive rise amongst men.

“It’s worth however to remember that the non-surgical sector is rife with lax regulation, maverick behaviour and unethical promotional gimmicks, so the public must remain vigilant. Non-surgical does not, and never has, meant non-medical.”