A Trendy Topic: The Past Decade of Plastic Surgery

As we inch toward 2010, it seems appropriate to reflect on the past decade in plastic surgery. Ten years ago, we were still in the dot-com economic bubble and plastic surgery was increasing in popularity, after a recession earlier in the 1990’s. Breast implants were becoming more and more accepted, with doubts about their safety having been largely dispelled, though it would be several more years before the FDA would clear silicone implants for general use. Another bubble may have burst, but breast augmentation has now overtaken liposuction as the most popular plastic surgical procedure in America. Plastic surgery in general has become much more accepted and attitudes more positive.

But lost in the big picture is the procedure that has actually increased the most. (This doesn’t count nonsurgical procedures, or Botox would be the clear winner with millions of patients treated.) Although only the 5th most popular procedure, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) has gone from about 43,000 cases annually a decade ago to nearly 150,000 according to the most recent statistics, a nearly 5-fold increase. We even have a new term for the tummy tuck/breast enhancement combo, the “mommy makeover.”

Why the big run on tummy tucks? There are a number of possible explanations, one of which is the improvements in safety and technique for abdominoplasty. One technique that I have been a fan of is called the Progressive Tension Suture technique. (See my website for details.) Mostly though I think it is just women who are done with childbearing and looking to improve their lives now that the children are grown.