ASDS 2018 Survey: Skin Cancer Treatments and Cosmetic Procedures are on the Rise

American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) member dermatologists performed more than 12.5 million medical and cosmetic procedures in 2018 – 7.5 percent more than 2017 and a 60 percent increase since 2012, according to the 2018 ASDS Survey on Dermatologic Procedures

Skin cancer treatments are the most-performed procedure with more than 3.5 million treatments performed by ASDS members. Additionally, sun damage treatments were up 29 percent this year and a striking 63 percent in just two years.

ASDS members also performed nearly nine million cosmetic treatments in 2018, a more than seven percent increase over 2017. Body sculpting saw the largest increase up 43 percent from last year with more than 623,000 treatments, injectable soft-tissue fillers and laser/light/energy-based treatments grew 78 percent and 74 percent respectively in the last seven years.

In 2018, ASDS members performed:

• 3.4 million procedures using laser, light and energy-based devices
• 2.1 million neuromodulator injections
• 1.6 million soft-tissue filler injections
• 623,000 body-sculpting treatments
• 497,000 chemical peels

For body contouring procedures in 2018:

• Deoxycholic acid rose more than 43 percent.
• Microfocused ultrasound increased 38 percent.
• Tumescent liposuction grew 17 percent.

For 2018, wrinkles, sun damage and facial redness lead the types of conditions treated with laser or light-based device with more than 2.2 million treatments performed.

The survey also reported that there were more than 72,000 hair rejuvenation procedures such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Microneedling showed a 45 percent increase compared to 2017 data, with more than 262,000 treatments performed. Thread lifts are also increasing in popularity with nearly 33,000 procedures performed.