New ASDS survey finds that half of consumers consider cosmetic medical procedure

Half of consumers are considering a cosmetic medical procedure and the specialty in which the physician is board-certified is increasingly influential in their choice of practitioner, according to new survey data from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

The 2015 ASDS Consumer Survey on Cosmetic Dermatologic Procedures reflects overall consumer views on cosmetic medical treatments and ratings for 10 specific procedures.

The survey underscores the value consumers place on physicians' distinct qualifications, with the expertise held by ASDS members proving especially resonant.

The specialty in which a physician is board-certified is the single most important factor when selecting a practitioner for a cosmetic procedure – more significant than cost, physician referral or eight other choices.

"Consumers are savvy, and they understand that the specialized training board-certified dermatologists receive makes them uniquely qualified to deliver the results they are seeking for their cosmetic procedures," said ASDS President George J. Hruza, MD, MBA.

The survey also supplied renewed insight into what compels consumers to seek cosmetic treatments. For the third straight year, the leading factors for pursuing treatments are the desire to "look as young as I feel or better for my age," "appear more attractive" and "feel more confident."

The top cosmetic concerns for consumers align with areas of expertise for ASDS members:

• Excess weight, 88 percent
• Skin texture and/or discoloration, 72 percent
• Lines and wrinkles around and under the eyes, 69 percent
• Excess fat under the chin/neck, 67 percent
• Sagging facial skin, 67 percent

For the third year in a row, dermatologists carry more influence regarding decisions to have cosmetic procedures than friends, physician referral or 11 other factors. Patients who had procedures favored dermatologists for seven of the 10 procedure categories, up from five in the 2014 survey.

And the majority of respondents in eight of 10 categories who had visited a dermatologist chose an ASDS member.

"Patients turning to our members as their top choice for a growing number of cosmetic procedures is highly encouraging," Hruza said. "ASDS members are pioneers and leaders in the realm of skin procedures, and that is not going unnoticed by the public."