This graph shows the popularity and gender balance of elective cosmetic surgeries in the USA during 2012. The data do not include minimally invasive procedures like injectables and laser treatments, which are much more common; according to the data source, over 6M people received Botox or Dysport last year (94% were female)! The graph on the left shows the most popular surgeries, while the right-hand graph shows less common procedures (all the muddled lines at the bottom of the left-hand graph). The proportion of each elective surgery performed on females is shown in purple, the male proportion in green.

Sixty percent of all cosmetic plastic surgery in the USA comprises four procedures: breast augmentation, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, and liposuction. Breast augmentation accounts for the plurality of all cosmetic surgeries in the US at 18.4%. According to the US Census, there are approximately 75M women in the US aged 20-55. Of the ~286k breast augmentation surgeries, ~270k were performed on women in this age range; this equates to about one cosmetic breast augmentation for every 275 women aged 20-55! Disturbing, isn’t it?

Overall, 87% of all elective cosmetic surgeries were performed on females. For women, the five most common were the four listed above plus facelifts. Among men, the most common procedures were nose reshaping, eyelid surgery, liposuction, breast reduction, and facelift. Of the surgeries graphed, only two were more common among men than women: chin augmentation (52% for men) and hair transplantation (70% for men). Two surgeries not plotted – because they were performed fewer than 500 times over the entire year – were also more common in men: calf augmentation (55% for men) and pectoral implants (all men).

Data source: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news-and-resources/2012-plastic-surgery-statistics.html