Top 5 Plastic Surgeries Worldwide

Plastic surgery is a domain that constantly changes. Pioneer treatments are implemented, new techniques of popular aesthetic surgeries are proposed. Millions of people every year decide to have cosmetic surgery, even more, go for nonsurgical aesthetic operations.

This boost in the popularity of cosmetic surgeries of various types was supported by changing mentality. No more plastic surgeries are thought to be a matter of pure vanity. Improving our appearance through various treatments and looking for better expression of our inner self-becomes widely accepted as a natural need of a human being.

Through the technical developments in the field of plastic surgery, even people suffering from results of previous medical conditions may find a solution for themselves within this field, as well. Together with the effect of development in the field of cosmetic surgery, globalization encouraged patients’ mobility leading to an increasing market of health tourism or medical tourism. Today, millions of people yearly decide to leave their home country and visit popular health tourism destinations, including Turkey, India, and many others, for their health and beauty needs, in search of quality aesthetic surgery for a reasonable price.

This article is dedicated to the popularity and type of plastic surgeries worldwide, knowledge of which could be helpful to get to know the newest trends in cosmetic surgery.

5 Most Popular Plastic Surgeries

1. Breast Augmentation

It is not surprising at all that the first place is occupied by breast augmentation surgery, known popularly as a boob job. This plastic surgery is performed in order to increase the breast size or restore its previous volume. It may include planting breast implants, fat transfer breast augmentation through liposuction, or other techniques. Breast augmentation surgery was performed almost 1.7 million times in 2017 according to the latest data released by The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).

Patients who would like not only to undergo breast enlargement or breast uplift procedures for the big breast, but also to have breast reduction surgery for smaller breast increasingly decide to visit Turkey, Brazil, or other popular health tourism destinations.

READ: Which Is Better? Breast Augmentation by Fat Transfer & Breast Implants

2. Liposuction

Liposuction (also called lipo) is one of the popular plastic surgeries, during which excess fat is removed from one body part. As mentioned before, liposuction cosmetic surgery may be just a part of more complex aesthetical surgery (breast augmentation or Brazilian Butt Lift), but still many people decide just for the liposuction procedure itself, fighting stubborn fat.
According to the same data released by The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), liposuction surgery was chosen by more than 1.5 million patients in 2017 https://www.isaps.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ISAPS_2017_International_Study_Cosmetic_Procedures.pdf. Many of them decide for health tourism and want to undergo liposuction in Mexico, Turkey, or other countries famous for quality medical tourism services.
As brand-new techniques such as smart lipo, slim lipo, and vaser lipo (laser lipo) are developed, liposuction continues to be one of the most preferred plastic surgeries.

READ: Liposuction – The 10 things You Need to Know

3. Eyelid Surgery

Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is an aesthetic surgery aiming at improving the appearance and functionality of upper and/or lower eyelid. It is one of the popular plastic surgeries among older patients, whose skin loses its elasticity. Eyelid surgery enjoys growing popularity among many people from East Asia, where this plastic surgery is used to create a crease on eyelids.
Blepharoplasty was performed on around 1.35 million patients in 2017, and this number is expected to rise. Other facial cosmetic surgery types such as facelift or thread facelift or other than eyelid surgery are also highly preferred (mostly by women).
For example, in 2017, 465.000 people worldwide had a facelift operation.

Eyelid surgery patients, aware of price differences, often choose health tourism as an alternative solution. Many of them have their eyelid surgery in Korea or Japan, to mention the most popular health tourism destinations when it comes to blepharoplasty.

READ: Is It Safe to Have Blepharoplasty Surgery?

4. Rhinoplasty

The list of most popular plastic surgeries would be incomplete without rhinoplasty or as some people prefer to call it – a nose job. A rhinoplasty procedure is conducted in order to change the shape of one’s nose. This cosmetic surgery may be performed for medical or aesthetical purposes, but most of the cases are connected with appearance rather than health problems.

According to new worldwide statistics, more than 875.000 patients underwent rhinoplasty surgery in 2017. Among them, there were many who chose plastic surgery clinics abroad over their home countries. The world capital of nose job is Iran. However, thousands of patients got attracted by rhinoplasty cost in Turkey or Hungary as well.

READ: 5 Celebrities Who Had a Nose Job

5. Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)

Abdominoplasty, also known under the name Tummy Tuck, is a plastic surgery, whose primary goal is to correct the appearance of lower abdomen through the removal of excess fat and skin. Besides all of its satisfying results, the most worrying thing about Tummy Tuck is its postoperative scars. Actually, if you undergo an Abdominoplasty operation, you can expect to have a scar. However, there are some steps that help you to reduce its visibility for you to follow.
Tummy Tuck is on the fifth rank among the most popular plastic surgeries, with 803.000 operations in 2017.

The growing popularity of this plastic surgery also increased its prevalence in health tourism. Thousands of patients every year choose to have Tummy Tuck done in Turkey, Colombia, or other popular medical tourism destinations.

READ: How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost? – World Prices

This content is edited by Flymedi Medical Editors in 2023.