Cosmetic surgery 'popularity declines'

The popularity of cosmetic surgery in the UK plummeted in 2014, according to figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps).

There had been 45,406 surgical procedures in 2014, down nine per cent from 50,122 in 2013.

Breast enlargement is the most common procedure among women, but eyelid surgery has overtaken nose jobs to be the most common operation in men.

The industry has been under intense scrutiny since the PIP breast implant scandal in 2012 that meant thousands of women were fitted with substandard implants made by the French firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).

Rajiv Grover, a consultant plastic surgeon and Baaps spokesperson, told the BBC that the figures for 2013 “were inflated by the 2012 PIP crisis and a large number of people needed to have implants replaced. So breast augmentation figures went up artificially because of the large number of replacements.”

The end of the recession played a part in the slowdown of procedures according to Grover. “Cosmetic surgery is not a requirement, it is a desire, so during a number of years of austerity people will have put that on hold for a few years to save money,” said Grover.

Last week, the Royal College of Surgeons said doctors should be prevented from performing cosmetic surgery outside their specialty to prevent “GPs from doing nose jobs”. The college wants a new system of certified surgeons who have to prove they are able to perform procedures.