What Specialties Perform the Most Common Outpatient Cosmetic Procedures in the United States?

From 1995 to 2003, dermatologists were the leading specialists in performing outpatient cosmetic procedures in the United States, accounting for 48% of all procedures, with plastic surgeons following at 38%. The majority of these procedures were conducted on white, female patients aged 40 to 59, with chemical peels and soft tissue fillers being the most common. Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey indicated that dermatologists and plastic surgeons had significantly more experience with cosmetic procedures on a per-physician basis compared to other physicians. A separate study using 2000 data from the American Medical Association showed that patients aged 30 to 39 underwent the most procedures, with hair transplantation being particularly common among men due to androgenic alopecia. Dermatologists are receiving more specialty training in procedures like tumescent liposuction and hair transplantation, suggesting their role in outpatient cosmetic procedures may continue to grow. However, the accuracy of the data was questioned due to potential underreporting from the use of ICD-9 procedural codes, which may not be used for billing cosmetic procedures directly to patients.