“Ozempic face” to the list of top trending cosmetic procedures, as tallied by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).
The group’s annual survey of its board-certified members found that blockbuster GLP-1 medications are having an impact on plastic surgeries ordered up by Americans.
“While these drugs are highly effective at achieving rapid weight loss, they often result in issues like volume loss and sagging skin,” Dr. Patrick Byrne, AAFPRS president, said in an academy news release. “As a result, more patients are turning to facial plastic surgery to address these aesthetic concerns.”
For example, facial plastic surgeons reported a 50% rise in the number of facial fat-grafting procedures undertaken throughout 2024, probably due to the effects of weight loss aided by GLP-1s.
Members expect that other nonsurgical procedures, such as injectable facial
fillers, will also rise in popularity as Ozempic and its kin help folks shed pounds.
Already, 1 in every 10 AAFPRS members say they are prescribing the weight-loss meds to patients.
Traditional procedures still popular
Older cosmetic surgery standbys continued to top the list of most popular procedures for 2024.
Rhinoplasties (commonly referred to as “nose jobs”), facelifts and eye lifts remained the top three surgical procedures in 2024, with rhinoplasty continuing to be patients’ most frequently requested surgery, the AAFPRS said.
The average age for a facelift is getting younger, however. In recent years, people ages 35 to 55 comprised 26% of facelift clients, but that number rose to nearly a third (32%) by 2024.
Most patients are not getting complex and invasive surgical procedures, however: Botox and similar “neurotoxin” injections, as well as dermal fillers, are
much more popular. More than 90% of AAFPRS members say they perform such procedures regularly.
