Every year since 1992, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has collected key statistics and demographics on plastic surgery procedures performed throughout the United States.
The society has more than 8,000 members, comprising 93 percent of all board-certified U.S. plastic surgeons, but it collects statistics that aim to represent more than 24,600 board-certified physicians who are “likely to perform” either cosmetic plastic surgeries or reconstructive plastic surgeries.
The 5 most popularly performed types of plastic surgery
| # | Plastic Surgery Type | Year 2019 |
| 1 | Facial plastic surgeries | 665,988 |
| 2 | Female breast surgeries | 493,007 |
| 3 | Abdominal surgeries | 132,190 |
| 4 | Buttock surgeries | 33,499 |
| 5 | Male breast surgeries | 24,787 |
Facial plastic surgeries are most popular, followed by female breast surgeries.
While female breast augmentation is the single most commonly performed plastic surgery in the U.S., more plastic surgeries are done on the face than on any other part of the body.
Nine major cosmetic facial plastic surgeries exist—blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, facelift, forehead lift, lip augmentation, otoplasty, chin augmentation, cheek implants, and lip reduction—while only four major cosmetic plastic surgeries exist for the female breasts—augmentation, lift, reduction, and implant removal.
Female breast surgeries are done on members of one sex; facial plastic surgeries can be done on anyone. Nevertheless, facial plastic surgeries are the most popular plastic surgeries performed.
The 20 most popularly performed plastic surgery procedures
| # | Plastic Surgery Procedure | Year 2019 |
| 1 | Breast augmentation | 299,715 |
| 2 | Liposuction | 265,209 |
| 3 | Eyelid surgery | 211,005 |
| 4 | Nose job | 207,284 |
| 5 | Facelift | 123,685 |
| 6 | Tummy tuck | 123,427 |
| 7 | Breast lift | 113,188 |
| 8 | Neck lift | 54,852 |
| 9 | Breast reduction | 46,340 |
| 10 | Forehead lift | 37,246 |
| 11 | Breast implant removals | 33,764 |
| 12 | Lip augmentation | 31,789 |
| 13 | Buttock augmentation with fat grafting | 28,076 |
| 14 | Hair transplantation | 24,348 |
| 15 | Male breast reduction (Gynecomastia surgery) | 24,123 |
| 16 | Ear surgery (Otoplasty) | 22,968 |
| 17 | Upper arm lift | 18,313 |
| 18 | Chin augmentation | 16,446 |
| 19 | Cheek implants | 14,395 |
| 20 | Labiaplasty | 11,218 |
Statistics are projected based on data from 2.08% of surveyed physicians
The ASPS considers these the most reliable numbers available for the industry within the U.S. But all figures are projected. For 2019, the most recent year for which data is currently available, an annual questionnaire was distributed to more than 24,600 board-certified physicians.
Five hundred and twelve, or 2.08 percent, of those physicians, returned the questionnaire.
“Overall, 682 active physicians were included in the final sample,” the ASPS says. “All responses are aggregated and extrapolated to the entire population of more than 24,600 board-certified physicians most likely to perform cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery procedures…”
As every page of the ASPS report reiterates, “All figures are projected.”
Billions spent on tens of millions of procedures
According to the annual report, in 2019 U.S. consumers also spent $16.7 billion dollars on 18,160,785 surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, for a 1 percent increase in procedures over 2018, and a 169 percent increase since the year 2000.
That increase is attributed to minimally invasive procedures, which are up 237 percent compared to the year 2000, while cosmetic surgeries are down five percent since then.