Cosmetic surgery drops 40% in 2016 as Brits turn to injectables

Brits are shunning cosmetic surgery in favour of injectables, according to new data by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

The number of cosmetic operations dropped by 40% in 2016, after reaching record-breaking heights in 2015, while injectables have remained on a steady rise, the report found. 

The number of procedures dipped to a pre-recession low, with surgery procedure totals for women and men combined falling below 31,000, 5% lower than in 2007.

Male procedure numbers, which had, until now been rising steadily, fell below 2005 figures, with 2,440 in 2005 and 2,409 in 2016. 

BAAPS said that, anecdotally, its members were reporting that the uncertainty around Brexit had affected people’s decision to opt for botox and fillers instead of surgery. The official Brexit report by Opinium said: “The referendum seems to be affecting British people’s perceived likelihood to engage in nearly any form of economic or social decision in and by itself.

BAAPS President Rajiv Grover, who compiles the audit on an annual basis, said: “In a climate of global fragility, the public are less likely to spend on significant alterations and become more fiscally conservative, by and large opting for less costly non-surgical procedures such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion, rather than committing to more permanent changes.

“The background of negative news and economic uncertainty seems to have re-invigorated the famous British ‘stiff upper lip’ – achieved, however, through dermal fillers and wrinkle-relaxing injections, rather than surgery.”