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.
Video Chats Create Push For Chin Fixes
"The chin and jaw line are among the first areas to show signs of aging," said Malcolm Roth, MD, president of the society. "We also know that as more people see themselves on video-chat technology, they may notice that their jaw line 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% increase from 2010, according to the release. Women had nearly 10,100 procedures, a 66% increase, and men had almost 10,600 procedures, a 76% increase.
Among younger adults, ages 20 to 29, 2,750 underwent augmentations, representing a 68% increase. Among those ages 30 to 39, nearly 2,600 had the procedure, a 69% increase.
Numbers increased with age: There were more than 5,000 chin surgeries in adults ages 40 to 54, marking a 77% increase. For those 55 and older, nearly 8,500 procedures were performed, a 70% increase.
Other cosmetic procedures that increased in 2011 were: Lip augmentations (49%), check implants (47%), laser skin resurfacing (9%), soft-tissue fillers (7%) and facelift (5%).
