U.S. is #4 in the World for Plastic Surgery

The numbers are in for countries that use the most plastic surgery, but you may be surprised to learn that the United States is not on the top of the list. Statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery indicate that South Korea is the top country in terms of proportion of population that uses plastic surgery. The United States is sixth on the list.

1. South Korea. Plastic surgery has swept Asia and the figures indicate that South Korea has “the continent’s biggest clientele.” Roughly one in five women from Seoul has undergone plastic surgery, with the most popular plastic surgeries being liposuction, nose jobs, and Asian eyelid surgery.
2. Greece. Despite its economic crisis, Greece came in second on the list, with breast augmentation surgery taking the top spot. Curiously, there were 592 penis enlargement procedures performed in 2010, which is ten times more than average for other countries on the list.
3. Italy. Botox is the most popular procedure in Italy, while liposuction is the most widely demanded surgery. Malcolm Z. Roth, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, surprised by the country’s placement over Brazil, expressed some skepticism about the numbers. He pointed out that the ISAPS received very few completed questionnaires during the course of the study. “I think clearly we have to take caution with this data, since we don’t know how accurate it is,” Roth told ABC News.
4. Brazil. Liposuction and breast implants were the most popular surgeries in Brazil, where plastic surgery is considered perfectly normal. “Culturally speaking, Brazilians have no problem with plastic surgery,” Roth told ABC News. “If anything, it’s seen as a status symbol to have had it.” This is especially the case in a country where tax deductions to support elective plastic surgery are available.
5. Colombia. Liposuction is very popular in this cosmetic tourism hotspot. While many Americans travel to Colombia to receive plastic surgery, Roth cautions against going abroad. “There are absolutely safe procedures being done in other countries, but you have to be very careful. If something goes wrong, a lot of things can go worse when you’re not in your own country with your own doctor.”
6. United States. Demand for plastic surgery in the US continues to rise during the economic recovery, reports ABC News. Liposuction is the most demanded procedure, while breast augmentation comes in second.
7. Taiwan. In 2010, wrinkle reducing treatments such as Botox were the most popular in the small island nation of Taiwan.

(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)