Empty hospital bed. — Image by © Tim Sandle.
Recently compiled research shows the list of top ten health improvement trend changes from 2019 to 2024. These are basic forms of elective surgery, some for health needs, some for personal vanity. Elective surgery or elective surgery it is surgery that is planned in advance because it does not involve emergency medical care.
Ear surgery (otoplasty) saw the biggest drop in popularity, with a dramatic 663 percent decrease in the number of procedures performed in the US in 2024 compared to 2019. raising hand (brachioplasty) remains steadily popular, with only a 1 percent decrease in the number of procedures over the same period.
Ear correction surgery is a cosmetic surgery to change the size or shape of the ears, or to pin them back if they protrude.
A recent study by the company Overnight Glasses analyzed various indicators to assess the most popular health improvement trends from 2019 to 2024. The data comes from relevant datasets such as search volume, Instagram and TikTok hashtags, average prices and number of procedures performed and the two years.
To ensure comparability, all data was adjusted, with search volume and number of hashtags normalized to account for differences in social media platforms’ user bases and evolving trends. This approach allowed for consistent scaling, particularly when accounting for changes in the number of processes performed over time. Data is for the US
The results are:
| Procedure | Details | Price | Number of procedures performed in the US in 2019 | Number of procedures performed in the US 2023 | Change in % |
| Ear Surgery (Otoplasty) | Aesthetic surgery to change the shape, position or size of the ears. | $3,955.00 | 35,965 | 4,713.00 | -663.102 |
| Chin Augmentation | Surgery to enhance the shape and size of the chin using implants or bone reshaping. | $3,307.00 | 12,694 | 5,403.00 | -134,944 |
| Cheek Augmentation | Surgery to strengthen the cheekbones using implants or fat transfer. | $3,723.00 | 14,395 | 8,238.00 | -74,739 |
| Scar revision surgery | Surgery to improve the appearance of scars from injuries, surgeries or other causes. | $2,200.00 | 279,239 | 170,000.00 | -64,258 |
| Neck lift (Inferior rhytidectomy) | Surgery to remove excess skin and fat from the neck area, reducing sagging and improving jawline definition. | $5,898.00 | 29,235 | 21,575.00 | -35,504 |
| Glaucoma Surgery | Eye surgery to lower intraocular pressure to prevent damage to the optic nerve, often leading to improved eye health and quality of life. | $3,000.00 | 300,000 | 221,602.00 | -35,378 |
| Thigh lift | Surgery to remove excess skin and fat from the thighs, improving the contour and appearance of the legs. | $5,871.00 | 12,245 | 9,421.00 | -29,976 |
| Buttock Augmentation | Cosmetic surgery to enhance the shape and size of the buttocks using implants, fat transfer, or both. | $4,517.00 | 35,880 | 28,638.00 | -25,288 |
| Brow lift (forehead lift) | Surgery to correct damaged eyebrows and smooth forehead wrinkles. | $3,962.00 | 14,903 | 13,318.00 | -11,901 |
| Arm Lift (Brachioplasty) | Cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin and fat from the arms, improving contour and appearance. | $4,893.00 | 21,823 | 21,429.00 | -1,839 |
After otoplasty, chin augmentation followed, which saw a 134 percent reduction in the number of procedures. On the other hand, the process stands out with a modest cost of $3,307, also accompanied by an active social media presence with 146,000 Instagram hashtags and 3,471 TikTok hashtags.
Cheek augmentation ranks third, with a 74% reduction in procedures. Despite a strong presence on Instagram with 90,000 hashtags and significant search interest, the appeal of this surgical option has waned.
Scar Revision Surgery ranks fourth, with a 64 percent decrease in procedures, falling from 279,239 in 2019 to 170,000 in 2024. Despite the high demand for scar improvement, reflected in its search volume of over 1.7 million and 51,600 citations on Instagram, the process is also the cheapest at only $2,200.00.
In fifth place, neck lift (wrythectomy) saw a 35 percent decrease in procedures, from 29,235 in 2019 to 21,575 in 2024. Although this procedure still enjoys significant traction on social media with 308,000 mentions on Instagram and 24,400 growing hashtags on TikTok. for non-surgical skin tightening techniques.
Glaucoma surgery, which ranked sixth, saw a 35 percent drop. Despite 138,500 searches and 22,200 mentions on Instagram, this decline can be attributed to advances in medical management and less invasive laser treatments that effectively control IOP without surgery, making them more attractive to patients seeking less invasive options .
In seventh place, thigh lift procedures fell by nearly 30%, from 12,245 in 2019 to 9,421 in 2024. Buttock Augmentation, a cosmetic procedure to improve the shape and size of the buttocks with implants, fat transfer, or both, ranks eighth, with a 25% reduction in procedures.
Brow lift ranks ninth, with a modest 12 percent drop in procedures. Arm lift (brachioplasty) rounds out the top ten with the smallest drop of just 1.8%, from 21,823 procedures in 2019 to 21,429 in 2024.
