4 March 2016 March 2016 5 Expert guide: Aesthetics & Cosmetology 2016 Introduction The growing popularity of cosmetic surgery procedures had taken a slight hit during 2014 following the scandal surrounding the botched procedures and faulty PIP breast implants. However, the industry underwent a quick re-surgence last year, primarily resulting from a more educated public who have come to realise the superior long-term effects of surgical treat-ments versus less invasive methods. We have also seen an increase in regulation with doctors now being prevented from offering two-for-one deals and must also allow a minimum two-week cooling-off period before surgery or risk being struck off.With over 51,000 Britons opting for cosmetic surgery in 2015, it’s definitely been a record year for the industry. Overall, there was a 12.6% rise in invasive cosmetic procedures (with increased demand for ALL procedures). Meanwhile, new data released by the American Society of Plas-tic Surgeons (ASPS) show continued growth in cosmetic procedures over the last year, and a shift in the types of procedures patients have chosen since the start of the new millennium. According to the annual plastic surgery proce-dural statistics, there were 15.9 million surgical and minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures performed in the United States in 2015, a 2% increase over 2014.Since 2000, overall procedures have risen 115%, but the types of procedures patients are choos-ing are changing.“While more traditional facial procedures and breast augmentations are still among the most popular, we’re seeing much more diversity in the areas of the body patients are choosing to address,” said ASPS President David H. Song, MD, MBA, FACS. “Patients have more options than ever, and working closely with their sur-geon, they’re able to focus on specific target ar-eas of the body to achieve the look they desire.”Editor In Chief James Drakeford Introduction