Plastic surgery on increase, ISAPS says

The trade association invited 20,000 plastic surgeons to participate in its annual survey, which was published at the end of January.

Results showed that 14.7 million procedures were carried out in 2011, up 4% from 2010.

Botox was the most popular procedure, with more than 3 million injections administered worldwide.

Lipoplasty topped the list of invasive treatments, with 1.3 million surgeries performed in 2011. According to ISAPS, lipoplasty was followed by breast augmentation procedures (1.2 million), blepharoplasty/eyelid lifts (700,000), abdominoplasty/tummy tucks (550,000) and rhinoplasty/nose jobs (480,000).

The increases mirror trends being witnessed across the UAE, according to pre-eminent German board plastic surgeon Dr Afschin Ghofrani, Medical Director and General Manager of Dubai's Aestheticon Clinic.

"The ISAPS figures correspond with trends we are definitely witnessing at our clinic here in Dubai. Among our most popular treatments are liposuction, breast augmentation, eyelid and face lifts, other facial surgeries, and abdominoplasty," Dr Ghofrani commented.

"As summer approaches, there is definitely an increased demand from clients wanting to look good on the beach and body surgeries surge at this time of year," he added.

Figures released by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in 2012 pointed to an incredible 100% increase in demand for cosmetic procedures in 2011, with 68,000 patients visiting clinics in the emirate.

Aestheticon Clinic was established by Dr Afschin Ghofrani in May 2012, and offers plastic/aesthetic surgery, hand surgery and reconstructive surgery, as well as a range of market leading therapies from Germany, France, Italy and the USA.