Plastic surgery is not uncommon, especially for women. From the data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were more than 1.8 million cosmetic surgeries performed in 2016 and 15.5 million minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures.

With the influx of photo editing filters and face smoothening applications, it is no surprise that more women are either enticed or pressured to try plastic surgery.

Which surgery should you choose?

Minimally invasive plastic surgery is a type of cosmetic surgery which uses specially designed surgical instruments without the need to create a large incision. Surgeons make use of viewing scopes (if needed) that will allow them to perform the procedure through several tiny openings.

These types of methods result in less scarring and less pain. Recovery time is also quicker, and the healthcare cost is much lower. An invasive procedure, on the other hand, will require more incisions and can, therefore, result in more scars. Still, choosing whether to go for minimally invasive or not will depend on the type of work you want to be done on your body.

According to the statistics for last year, below are the three most popular minimally invasive procedures used by women:

1. Botulinum Toxin Type A (7 million procedures) – This is a non-surgical injection that temporarily reduces wrinkles and other facial fine lines. The most commonly treated areas are forehead creases, frown lines and the area surrounding the eyes. The doctor uses a purified substance derived from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. This procedure is popularly known as Botox injections.
2. Dermal Fillers (2.6 million procedures) – This method is also called soft tissue fillers but is commonly known as injectable implants. These medical implants are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help create a fuller or a smoother appearance in the nasolabial folds, lips, cheeps and sometimes, in the entire face. This procedure is only approved on specific body parts and cannot be used to increase the size of the buttocks and breasts.
3. Chemical Peel  (1.36 million procedures) – This process is a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin on the hands, neck, and face. The practitioner would use a chemical solution and apply it to the surface of the skin that causes it to exfoliate and peel off. Exfoliation causes the skin to regenerate new skin cells which leads to a smoother and less wrinkled skin.

As for the top three invasive surgical procedures, they are as follows:

1. Breast augmentation (290,467 procedures) – This is plastic surgery aiming to change the appearance of a woman’s breasts. Most patients undergo this procedure for the reasons that their breasts have lost their fullness after weight loss and childbirth, or one or both of the breasts are noticeably small or smaller.
2. Liposuction  (235,237 procedures) – This is an operation that removes fat from your body by the use of suction. The surgeon uses a thin, small and blunt-tipped tube and inserts it below the skin through tiny incisions. The surgeon moves the device around and under the skin to target specific areas where fats are deposited.
3.  Rhinoplasty (223,018 procedures) – This method is commonly known as nose reshaping or in layman’s term “nose job.” It is a surgery that can correct some aspects of the nose to improve the shape aesthetically, fix breathing problems, correct congenital disabilities or restore proper nose function.

Every year, there is an increasing number of people who try some of these plastic surgeries. Although there are so many people who are unhappy with how they look, it is essential to know that these procedures are not for everybody.

A majority of the patients have to undergo healthcare screening to check if they are healthy enough to stand such invasive procedures. Certain health conditions like malnutrition, connective tissue disorders or diabetes can make such a procedure prohibitively risky, so it is best to check with your primary healthcare physician first before you start planning on getting a procedure for yourself.

If you wish to read more about the statistics found in this article, you can check out the full report by clicking here.