Plastic Surgery Trends: The Shifting Popularity of Liposuction and Breast Augmentation
In the realm of plastic surgery practices worldwide, breast augmentation has historically held the position as the most sought-after procedure by patients. However, as per the freshly disclosed data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), a new frontrunner has emerged: liposuction. In its yearly global survey, ISAPS revealed that over 1.9 million liposuction procedures were carried out across the world in 2024 – a nearly 25% escalation compared to the prior year – constituting 15% of all plastic surgery types. (Even celebrities are sharing their lipo experiences more often.)
Meanwhile, breast augmentation has slipped to the second spot. Approximately 1.7 million procedures were performed, representing 13.1% of all surgeries but experiencing only a 3.8% increase since 2020.
So, what's behind this shift? Dr. Gianluca Campiglio, a plastic surgeon based in Milan, Italy, and the ISAPS Global Survey Editor, ascribes the change to a general upsurge in body contouring procedures along with growing apprehensions regarding breast implant-related health concerns, including a specific type of cancer. "The relatively lower increase in breast augmentation and the corresponding rise in implant removals also mirror our experience subsequent to the publication of reports on BIA-ALCL in the preceding year," he stated in a press release. At this point, while breast implant removal accounted for merely 2% of all cosmetic surgeries, it has risen nearly 50% since 2017 – a clear sign of an emerging trend.
In terms of domestic statistics in the United States, liposuction has also displaced breast augmentation from the top position. Nevertheless, the disparity wasn't as substantial; liposuction accounted for 19.1% of all plastic surgeries conducted in the U.S. in 2024, while breast augmentations accounted for 19%.
It's worth noting that there exist numerous distinct kinds of liposuction, all of which come with varying recovery durations and price ranges. For instance, there's the somewhat contentious high-definition liposuction (also known as abdominal etching), diverse types of laser liposuction, and Strawberry Laser Lipo (which is actually in its own non-invasive category). The ISAPS report doesn't specify the types of liposuction in detail, nor is it clear if the data encompasses the liposuction that is frequently a part of other procedures, such as mommy makeovers and Brazilian butt lifts.
The bottom line is that both of these procedures remain highly popular, although there is a variance in the rate at which their popularity is escalating. Whether liposuction will continue to outstrip breast augmentation remains uncertain for now, but currently, it holds the top position.
