Ireland’s Cosmetic Trends Revealed: Brow, Neck, Breast and Thread Lifts all on the Rise

• Enquiries from Irish patients into surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments are up by more than a third (38%) and 14% respectively in just six months
• Brow lifts and neck lifts are the first and second fastest growing surgical trend of 2015 with demand up 345% and 340% respectively this year
• Enquiries into breast lifts and breast implants up 117% and 72% respectively in the past six months: despite hefty price tags of €4,215 and €3,882
• Non-surgical facelifts are on the rise – thread lifts and platelet rich plasma filler are the fastest growing non-surgical procedures, with enquiries soaring by 75% and 73% in just six months

In its mid-year round up of cosmetic trends, new data from private healthcare search engine WhatClinic.com reveals Ireland’s fastest growing surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures of the past six months.

Across the board, demand for cosmetic procedures is up, with enquiries into surgical and non-surgical treatments from Irish patients increasing by more than a third (38%) and 14% respectively in this time*.

The fastest growing surgical procedure of the year so far is the brow lift. In the past six months, the treatment has seen a 345% surge in enquiries. Brow lifts, also known as a forehead lift, correct the sagging and ageing of the skin on the forehead, upper eyelids and eyebrows and will typically cost patients €2,465 per treatment. Patients are expected to experience swelling and bruising up to 10 days after the surgery.

Neck lift surgery closely follows as the second fastest emerging trend of the past six months, with enquiries up 155% in this period – compared to a 140% increase across the whole of 2014. The procedure removes excess skin and fat deposits from the neck area, leaving it more defined. It is often performed in conjunction with other facial surgeries, such as face or brow lift.

Demand for blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery – used to correct droopy eyelids by removing excess skin, muscle or fat – is also up, with the past six months seeing a 129% in enquiries.

Breast enhancements continue to be popular amongst Irish patients, with breast lifts – a procedure which raises the breast by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue – and breast implants seeing a 117% and 72% surge in demand respectively. These procedures are the most expensive on the list, with breast lifts costing €4,215 on average, and breast implants typically setting Irish patients back €3,882.

When looking at the fastest emerging non-surgical trends, thread lifts – hailed as the non-surgical alternative to a facelift – are the fastest growing treatment of 2015, with enquiries up 75% in just six months. This follows a massive surge in popularity for the treatment last year, when enquiries more than doubled (126%) – comparing total enquiries in 2013 with 2014 – the fourth biggest increase in demand of any non-surgical procedure for UK patients in that period.

Thread lifts are used for rejuvenating skin tone and improving the structure of the face in a similar way to a surgical facelift, but without the need for surgery. The procedure involves soluble polydioxanone thread being inserted through the skin with a fine needle to tighten and firm the skin while smoothing wrinkles, and will typically cost €2,045 per treatment.

A trend is clearly emerging for non-surgical face lift treatments, with platelet rich plasma (PRP) filler closely following as the second fastest emerging non-surgical procedure of the past six months with enquiries up 73% in this time. Colloquially referred to as the ‘Vampire Facelift’, the treatment involves injecting platelet rich plasma (PRP) derived from your own blood as a filler for the cosmetic treatment of wrinkles or scars. The PRP, injected into specific areas of the skin, is used to promote your own collagen to grow, and clinics suggest that it can regenerate tissue to naturally smooth and tighten the skin. The procedure takes around 15 minutes and any mild swelling, redness or bruising will normally fade within 1-3 days.

Demand for mesotherapy treatment has risen by 53% in the past six months, making it the third fastest growing procedure. This follows a surge for this treatment last year, with enquiries up 70%. Mesotherapy is a non-surgical cosmetic treatment that employs multiple injections of pharmaceutical medications, plant extracts, vitamins and other ingredients. It can be used to target cellulite, promote weight loss, and to treat ageing skin on the face, neck and hands.

Sclerotherapy, the procedure which removes varicose and spider veins, follows as the fourth fastest growing treatment, seeing a 38% increase in enquiries in the past six months. Excessive sweating treatment has also seen a 28% increase in demand in the same time.

The following table shows the surgical cosmetic procedures that have seen the biggest increases in enquiries from Irish patients over the past six months**:

The following table shows the non-surgical cosmetic procedures that have seen the biggest increase in enquiries from Irish patients over the past six months**:

Emily Ross, director of WhatClinic.com, comments: “Ireland’s fascination with cosmetic surgery shows no sign of abating. While the greatest increases are for surgical treatments, this still only reflects a small fraction of the overall market, and with ever-increasing choice and much lower prices, non-surgical treatments  continue to grow in popularity as well.

“Just because a treatment is non-surgical doesn’t mean it is completely safe. In particular, lasers – used for tattoo removal and facials –  can burn and scar if the machine is calibrated incorrectly, is poorly serviced or in the hands of someone inexperienced. Fillers around the eye area, which people might assume is low risk, can in fact cause blindness if placed incorrectly. All treatments have risk.

“Our advice is to do your research, and don’t be swayed by special offers or deals. Have realistic expectations and listen carefully to the risks when they are discussed with you. A good surgeon or doctor will always make sure you are fully informed about risk, and will have no qualms about answering challenging questions, such as ‘how many times have you done this’, and ‘what happens if anything goes wrong?

“It’s also a good idea to wait and see if the ‘latest treatment’ is really all it’s cracked up to be. Personally I’d rather not be the first to try something new, especially when experience and practice is needed to get the best results. Take your time, be informed, and where possible, talk to other patients who have had treatment.”

Methodology:

*Data based on the number of enquiries to UK clinics made through WhatClinic.com in the past 6 months, compared to the same period last year.  

**Based on over 6,600 patient enquiries to cosmetic surgery and medical aesthetic clinics in Ireland over the past six months.