Words by Rosie Wilson
Private healthcare search engine Whatclinic.com has released its biannual data exposing the trends in the aesthetic world; both which treatments are the most popular, and what have garnered the most growth since data was last collected in December 2014.
Overall, the demand for non-surgical aesthetic treatments has risen by over half (55%) in the past six months. Dermal fillers remain staunchly top of the list, as they were in 2014, with enquiries increasing by 61% since December. As well as to treat the signs of ageing, dermal fillers are commonly used for lip augmentation and non-surgical nose contouring, both of which also made the list of most popular treatments, rising by 41% and 53% respectively.
After thread lift treatment, the treatment that showed the most rapid growth was Macrolane™ body filler treatment. It’s often used for buttock augmentation – which could serve as some explanation for the fact that surgical buttock enhancement was only up 15% in the last six months, as opposed to the 182% growth it showed in 2014.
Thread lifts and tattoo removal were the only two treatments to make it onto both lists, indicating that they not only already hold status as popular non-surgical treatments, but look set to grow further still. Enquiries into thread lift procedures increased by a huge 240%, rendering it the most rapidly growing non-surgical treatment, and tattoo removal almost doubled at 88%.
The following tables indicate the data in more detail. For a full breakdown, visit www.whatclinic.com.
Treatments with the highest volume of enquiries over the past six months:
| Treatment | Average price per treatment | % increase in enquiries over the past six months |
| Dermal fillers | £235 | 61% |
| Mole removal | £216 | 60% |
| Lip augmentation | £291 | 41% |
| Tattoo removal | £187 | 88% |
| Scar removal | £252 | 65% |
| Spider veins treatment | £112 | 39% |
| Non-surgical nose job | £330 | 53% |
| Facial thread veins treatment | £92 | 109% |
| Scelotherapy | £415 | 36% |
| Thread lift | £678 | 240% |
Treatments with the biggest increase in enquiries over the past six months:
| Treatment | Average price per treatment | % change in enquiries over the past six months |
| Thread lift | £678 | 240% |
| Macrolane™ | £1,546 | 139% |
| Silhouette lift™ | £699 | 134% |
| Facial thread veins treatment | £92 | 109% |
| Platelet rich plasma filler | £475 | 96% |
| Dermaroller™ | £262 | 93% |
| Tattoo removal | £187 | 88% |
| Fat filler | £2,159 | 84% |
| Deep chemical peel | £229 | 71% |
Director of Whatclinic.com, Emily Ross, said:
“While the UK’s appetite for surgical procedures has by no means waned, there has also been a significant boost in non-surgical alternatives, with new and exciting treatments to the market reflected in the boost in demand that we have seen for medical aesthetics across the board.”
“These treatments do not require going under the knife but non-surgical interventions, such as fillers, do carry risks which are often not appreciated. Fillers around the eye area, for example, require advanced skill as retinal artery occlusion, where filler blocks blood flow, can cause tissue death and blindness. When injected incorrectly, even temporary fillers can turn your skin blue – known as the ‘Tyndall’ effect.”
Speaking on advice she would give to potential patients, Ross continued:
“It’s therefore imperative to research your practitioner to ensure they are not only experienced and qualified, but have adequate insurance to cover you should something go wrong. Make sure you are fully informed of all the risks before you make your final decision, and don’t be swayed by special offers or time-sensitive pricing.”
“A sensible question to ask your practitioner is how many patients they have performed this particular treatment on, and how many they do per week, as ideally you want them to be well-rehearsed in carrying out the procedure. Make sure you have realistic expectations of the results and read patient reviews on sites to get independent reviews.”