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.