05 Dec Aesthetic medicine 2018 – these were the most popular treatments
As a passionate facial surgeon, I naturally focus primarily on aesthetic facial plastic surgery and skin rejuvenation. However, it doesn’t hurt to think outside the box from time to time. This year, I once again took a close look at the annual patient survey conducted by the German Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (DGÄPC). This is because the annual statistics provide a relatively good indication of patient trends and needs.
Face remains in focus
Once again this year, facial treatments top the table of the most popular aesthetic procedures. Eyelid lifting is still the clear front-runner among surgical facial treatments. Closely followed by the facelift. Breast augmentation and liposuction remain popular among body correction procedures. Nose correction is also very popular with men.
Wrinkle injections are gaining in popularity
So-called gentle therapies such as botulinum toxin and wrinkle injections lead the table of the most popular procedures by some distance and have increased significantly compared to last year. This is also reflected in the distribution of invasive and non-invasive treatments. While minimally invasive treatments accounted for 30.8 percent last year, they now account for 44.4 percent. And the trend is rising. Wrinkle injections with fillers in particular are experiencing enormous growth. Aesthetic plastic surgery accounts for 55.6 percent of all treatments.
The trend towards wrinkle injections with hyaluronic acid is also clearly noticeable in our practice in Basel. The method is particularly impressive due to its wide range of different applications. Thanks to the different filler viscosities, not only can wrinkles be reduced, but volume can also be built up and contours on the nose, cheeks and chin can be modeled.
Another area of application for fillers is, of course, lip correction. However, simply “injecting lips” is definitely a thing of the past. Not only the volume, but also the optimal curve and the interplay of the contours contribute significantly to a harmonious overall appearance.
Here is an interesting blog article on the subject of lip injections
Outlook and trends in 2019
The results of the DGÄPC annual statistics came as little surprise to me. As expected, the trend is moving towards non-surgical measures. This reflects the patients’ need for a short downtime and a reduction in treatment risks. Not yet among the top 10 in the DGÄPC statistics, but still absolutely worth mentioning, are the apparative treatments such as IPL photorejuvenation or ultrasound, with which we also have very good experience in our practice. I am sure that these treatments will also continue to increase.
It’s all in the mix!
The need for gentle methods is absolutely welcome. As a doctor, however, I would like to openly mention at this point that non-invasive methods also have their limitations. In the case of pronounced drooping eyelids, severely sagging skin areas or deep wrinkles, for example, a surgical procedure or a medical deep peel is often the best choice to achieve an optimal result. In many cases, however, a combination of surgical and minimally invasive methods also leads to the desired result.
The choice or combination of the right treatment methods therefore plays a really decisive role in successful aesthetic correction. In our practice, we therefore attach great importance to a comprehensive and transparent consultation as well as a detailed analysis of the face in order to be able to show you the best possible treatment option.
