Social media helps 42% decide on surgery
Social media helps 42% decide on surgery
Survey results released by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) in Alexandria, VA, showed more patients sought out social networking sites for advice and information on facial plastic surgery before choosing a procedure in 2011 than in 2010. In comparison, the percentage of patients obtaining information from friends declined between 2010 and 2011.
Academy surgeons found 42% of patients receive most of their information about plastic surgery from social media, an increase from 29% in 2010. At the same time, the percentage of patients who obtain information on plastic surgery from friends dipped to 48%, down from 63% in 2010. Most surgeons surveyed also reported 70% of their patients request procedures by describing the area of concern rather than requesting a specific product or procedure by name. Full results to the survey can be found on the AAFPRS website at http://bit.ly/xlWyYL.
Non-surgical procedures performed by the academy's surgeons in 2011 remained steady, but continued to outnumber the amount of surgical procedures performed. The survey results also showed that 63% of procedures performed were cosmetic versus reconstructive procedures.
"We are encouraged by the possibilities that Facebook, Twitter, and other social channels offer for prospective patients, but urge all patients to exercise caution in researching facial plastic procedures to ensure information is from a reliable source," said Tom D. Wang, MD, president of the AAFPRS.
Reversing a trend in past years, the average costs of surgical and non-surgical procedures decreased in 2011. For surgical procedures performed by academy members, only otoplasty and implants increased in cost, while non-surgical procedures saw a minimal increase in the average cost of chemical peels (superficial). With the exception of rhinoplasty, most procedures, surgical and non-surgical, were performed on patients between ages 35 and 60.
The most common non-surgical procedures last year were Botox and hyaluronic acid injections, while the number of poly-l-lactic acid injections and fat injections increased slightly. Rhinoplasties, ablative skin resurfacings, blepharoplasties, and facelifts topped the list of surgeries.
Survey results released by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) in Alexandria, VA, showed more patients sought out social networking sites for advice and information on facial plastic surgery before choosing a procedure in 2011 than in 2010. In comparison, the percentage of patients obtaining information from friends declined between 2010 and 2011.Subscribe Now for Access
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