In the first survey of its kind, Dr. Jordan Sand, of Sand Plastic Surgery, co-authored a survey of facial plastic surgeons about their personal use of facial plastic surgery procedures and found far higher utilization than the public at large.
Facial plastic surgeons – a specialty within the field of plastic surgery focused solely on the face – choose to receive minimally-invasive procedures, like botox and fillers, at a rate of 75% (every 3 out of 4 surgeons). Compare that to between 4-10% of the general public who use minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures.
And for surgical procedures – like rhinoplasty, facelift, etc. – facial plastic surgeons opt-in at 34%, whereas the public at large is estimated to go under the knife at a mere 1%.
“It’s all about the safety and efficacy of these procedures, particularly the surgical options,” says Dr. Sand.
Among those who had any cosmetic surgery:
- Rhinoplasty was most common (44%)
- Upper blepharoplasty (31%)
- Lower blepharoplasty (28%)
So what do facial plastic surgeons know that John and Jane Q don’t? Dr. Sand says that surgeons’ expert knowledge of and access to the procedures plays a part, as well as an understanding of the safety of anesthesia. But Sand also suggests that surgeons could lack the anxiety many ordinary people feel about the potential pain and negative results from cosmetic procedures.
Nevertheless, as more younger people are going under the knife or needle than ever before, maybe Millennials and Gen. Z are figuring out what Facial Plastic Surgeons already know.