MONDAY, April 16 (HealthDay News) — The number of American women and men having cosmetic chin surgery increased drastically in 2011, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The growth in chin augmentation procedures was greater than breast augmentation, Botox injections and liposuction combined.
Reasons for the boom in chin augmentation may include increased use of video-chat technology, an aging baby boomer population and a desire to improve work success, suggested a society news release.
“The chin and jawline are among the first areas to show signs of aging,” Dr. Malcolm Roth, president of the society, said in the release. “We also know that as more people see themselves on video-chat technology, they may notice that their jawline is not as sharp as they want it to be. Chin implants can make a dramatic difference.”
There were nearly 21,000 chin augmentations last year, a 71 percent increase from 2010, according to the release. Women had nearly 10,100 procedures, a 66 percent increase, and men had almost 10,600 procedures, a 76 percent increase.
Among younger adults, aged 20 to 29, 2,750 underwent augmentations, representing a 68 percent increase. Among those aged 30 to 39, nearly 2,600 had the procedure, a 69 percent increase.
Numbers increased with age: There were more than 5,000 chin surgeries in adults aged 40 to 54, marking a 77 percent increase. For those 55 and older, nearly 8,500 procedures were performed, a 70 percent increase.
Other cosmetic procedures that increased in 2011 were: lip augmentations (49 percent), cheek implants (47 percent), laser skin resurfacing (9 percent), soft-tissue fillers (7 percent) and facelift (5 percent).
More information
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health has more about cosmetic surgery.