Around 82,000 Israelis underwent plastic surgery in 2021 with 75 of them as a result of complications from procedures performed outside the country.
Around 82,000 Israelis underwent some form of plastic surgery in 2021, with the three most popular procedures being breast augmentation, liposuction and nose surgery, new data released by the Israeli Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery (ISPAS) has shown.
In addition to the estimated 9,000 breast augmentation surgeries, 7,000 liposuction surgeries, and 6,000 nose surgeries that were performed, there were 5,900 eyelid lift surgeries, 3,800 breast lifts, and 4,200 abdominoplasties (tummy tuck) performed across the country.
Of the surgeries performed across both the public and private sectors in Israel, 75 were done as a result of complications from surgeries and procedures performed outside of the country. In most of these cases, the patient undergoing the correctional operation in Israel was suffering from a severe infection with a real risk of death if left untreated.
Speaking about this phenomenon, ISPAS chairman Dr. Meir Cohen, warns against choosing to undergo plastic surgery procedures outside of Israel.
“We want the public to seriously consider the decision before running to a plastic surgeon. It is important to understand that not all body image problems can be solved with plastic surgery.
It is important to understand that not all body image problems can be solved with plastic surgery.”
ISPAS Chairman Dr. Meir Cohen
“It should be remembered that every surgery also has risks and a vital recovery period, that must be overseen by a specialized plastic surgeon,” he continued. “Therefore, performing plastic surgery abroad under general anesthetic has a deadly risk, it’s like Russian Roulette.”
In addition to 82,000 plastic surgery procedures, 630,000 injections and aesthetic procedures were also carried out in Israel in 2021.
The most popular aesthetic procedure by far was botox, injected into the face to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. A total of 290,000 Israelis received botox injections for cosmetic purposes in the year 2021. This number does not include those who received botox injections for various medical conditions such as chronic pain or allergy symptoms.
An additional 110,000 hyaluronic acid fillers were administered throughout 2021, used to smooth wrinkles in the face and give the skin a fuller, healthier appearance. The remaining 230,000 procedures included a variety of medical peels and other minor procedures that are usually carried out by plastic surgeons.
The statistics from 2021 remain more or less consistent with the previous year when some 80,000 plastic surgery procedures were reported to have been carried out in Israel.
Israel’s plastic surgeons
There are currently around 300 doctors who specialize in plastic and aesthetic surgery in Israel, both in the public and private sector, all of whom are represented by ISPAS. In order to be classified as a specialist and qualify for ISPAS, a doctor with a license to practice general medicine must continue his studies in the field of plastic surgery after receiving his medical license.
This process, combined with the process of receiving the initial medical degree takes around 13 years in total.
Israel’s plastic surgeons work in a variety of fields from research and development of new therapeutic techniques and teaching to the reconstruction of congenital malformations, complex wound surgeries and burn injuries, and more.