One of our number-crunching team members was studying a 2016 review presented by the Australian Securities & Investment Commission recently.
(Sounds daunting, but that’s what we do to make Costhetics Australia’s – and your – best resource for news and information about cosmetic enhancement.) We weren’t surprised to learn that Aussies spend $13.4 (AUD) billion annually on personal care. After all, Australia has always been home to beautiful people (natural and/or enhanced).
Of course, the trend towards personal best isn’t limited to our shores. People all over the world are jumping on the Make Me Beautiful bandwagon. In the U.S., the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery released its annual statistics for 2018. It confirms the trend that men and women are investing in their appearance in the U.S., too.
More often than not, those dollars are being used for anti-ageing treatments, giving individuals a chance to create a perfect match between their inner and outer selves. That caused us to wonder whether people were focused more on rejuvenating their faces or re-contouring their bodies. This question turned into an itch we just had to scratch.
Here’s what we found…
Top 5 Cosmetic Aussie Surgery Procedures for Face & Body
The top 5 surgical procedures performed in the U.S. and Australia alike are:
- Breast implants – Secure in the #1 spot for years now, implants are what Australians want to get their hands on.
- Liposuction – The bare-is-better vibe of our beaches keeps liposuction hard at work sucking fat from the abdomen, thighs, bottoms, and arms.
- Eyelid Reduction (blepharoplasty) – This trusted surgery does away with droopy, heavy eyelids for a more youthful, wide-awake appearance at work and at play.
- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) – Especially popular as part of a mum’s post-pregnancy makeover (Also great for dads who put on weight during pregnancy, too).
- Nose job (rhinoplasty) – Smack bang in the middle of a selfie, the nose is being reshaped and refined with an ever-growing array of innovative techniques and tools.
It’s an almost even split between body contouring and facial rejuvenation. The same can’t be said for the world of non-surgical enhancement.
Top 5 Non-Surgical Treatments to Rejuvenate the Face
When it comes to non-surgical cosmetic enhancement, it’s all about the face here in Australia. Non-surgical treatments saw significant growth again this year for a variety of reasons. Techniques and formulations continue to improve and more options exist than ever before, but something else is fuelling their popularity.
“Most patients now understand non-invasive techniques address some aspects of the ageing process and surgical procedures address others,” Dr Charles Thorne, M.D. and President-Elect of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery told Yahoo Finance. With this clarity, comes even greater satisfaction with what non-surgical procedures can achieve.
As reported by BeautyCrew, Australians are crazy about:
- Body contouring – Non-surgical fat reduction has many names and uses extreme heat or cold to kill fat cells, which the body flushes away.
- Dermal fillers – Injectable solutions are heralded as a way to fill creases and lines, enhance facial contours, and plump lips and cheeks.
- Hair restoration – Platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp via a tiny needle to stimulate inactive hair follicles to enter an active growth phase.
- Anti-wrinkle injections – A true game-changer in the world of cosmetic enhancement, these injections interrupt static wrinkles from forming and dynamic wrinkles from taking hold of facial skin.
- Facial lasers – The energy of pulsating light beams removes layers of skin damaged by the Australian sun, the Australian lifestyle and Australian ageing.
Though not yet in the top 5, microneedling is gaining a lot of traction. Internet searches for this skin-beautifying treatment are up by 85% (vs. non-surgical nose jobs, for example, which saw an increase of just 35%). Also popular are chemical peels, as well as treatments for scars, acne, and hair removal.
Thread Lifts & Blood Facials on the Way?
As always, celebrities are paving the way for new trends to emerge in both surgical and non-surgical arenas. “With (Meghan Markel’s) movie-star sharp facial contours and even complexion, we have witnessed a boost in PDO thread lifts to sharpen the jawline, and (facials) to add lustre to the skin,” reports News.com.au in their story on Meghan-mania.
Other popular Meghan-related beauty treatments include:
- Liquid (non-surgical) nose jobs
- Faux freckles
- Eyebrow threading
Markle is even having an impact on feet! Like Victoria Beckham, Tilda Swinton, and Oprah Winfrey, she suffered from bunions, which affect about 25% of the population. Markle said goodbye bunions and hello Manolo Blaniks after undergoing open surgery. Those who want to follow in Markle’s bunion-free footsteps will be able to opt for new-and-improved keyhole bunion surgery. The innovative approach cuts down significantly on recovery time.
Watch for it to make the “Top 10” lists next year.
It’s All About Balance
Royal watchers say Meghan has found the ideal balance between ‘undone’ and ‘preened.’ Team Costhetics loves balance, too. Whether you want to fix an ageing face or an ageing body, make sure you seek the advice of a skilled, experience professional so you get the well-balanced results you’re looking for.
Stay beautiful!