It may have its critics, but Botox is booming

Despite restrictions relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, the aesthetic medicine and surgery market -- which ranges from hair removal to breast augmentation, liposuction and rhinoplasty -- is doing particularly well.

It is expected to triple in value in 10 years, from €5.7 to €17.1 billion between 2014 and 2025, with a record average annual growth of 10.5% over this period, according to figures presented by IMCAS* at its annual conference.

Botox triumphs

Injections are clearly taking the lead in the sector, growing at an annual rate of 8.9% over the 2019 to 2025 period. This is the second most dynamic segment after body contouring, which is becoming increasingly popular worldwide.

In terms of value, the market for injectables -- botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, etc. -- has risen to the top in 2021, with more than optimistic forecasts for the coming years.

The segment is expected to grow at 8.9% per year through 2025, following record average annual growth of 13.8% per year over the past decade, reflecting growing popularity worldwide.

Botulinum toxin injections are particularly popular with all age groups, except for the youngest patients, aged 18 or under. Botox is the most popular aesthetic procedure worldwide (43% of all procedures), ahead of hyaluronic acid injections (28%).

In total, aesthetic injections are by far the most popular non-invasive procedure performed worldwide (71% of all procedures). This is despite recent criticisms and abuses they are currently facing.

Hair removal is the third most performed non-invasive procedure in the world (12.8%), with an estimated growth of 76%. This is followed by fat reduction with body contouring techniques (3.9%) and photorejuvenation (3.6%).

It should be noted that aesthetic procedures are particularly popular among 35-to-50-year-olds, with an emphasis on botulinum toxin injections, while 19-34 year olds prefer surgery, accounting for 68% of rhinoplasty procedures and 48% of liposuction, in particular.

Under the knife

Despite a fall in breast surgery in 2020 (-15.9%), directly related to the pandemic, breast augmentation remains the leading surgical procedure performed on the body (16% of total procedures), ahead of liposuction (15%), abdominoplasty (7.6%), breast lift (6%) and breast reduction (4%).

As for surgical procedures performed on the face, it is eyelid surgery that leads the way (12%), ahead of rhinoplasty (8.4%). In its report, the IMCAS specifies that breast augmentation is increasingly requested by minors. More than four in ten underage girls undergo breast augmentation for cosmetic purposes, especially in Europe and Latin America.

To date, women appear to form the main customer base for cosmetic procedures, representing no less than 86.3% of patients worldwide in 2022. For men, eyelid surgery is the most common surgical procedure (18.6%), followed by liposuction (16%), gynecomastia correction (15%), rhinoplasty (15%), and ear surgery (6%).

In terms of geographical locations, the United States maintains the number one position in terms of surgical procedures, and is just ahead of Brazil in terms of non-invasive procedures.