Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Accessed by Nigerian Women at a Single Private Cosmetic Surgery Practice: A Retrospective Review

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the cosmetic surgery procedures sought by Nigerian women.

Aim: We sought to report the  proportion of cosmetic surgery procedures accessed by Nigerian women and determine any associations between the demographics and  cosmetic procedures accessed.

Patients and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted between January 2020 and July 2021 of all cosmetic surgery procedures at a single private cosmetic surgery practice. Data were analyzed using means, Mann–Whitney U‑test, chi  square test, and Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. The statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results: Of the 392 consultations for  cosmetic procedures, 245 (62.5%) patients accessed cosmetic surgery. Most were women (239 (97.6%)) and single (178 (72.7%)). The  median age of the patients at surgery was 29.0 years (IQR 26–33), the median weight was 78.8 kg (IQR 71.4–88.8), and the median body  mass index (BMI) was 28.1 (IQR 25.7–32.3). Liposuction was the procedure accessed by nearly all the patients (224 (91.4%)). Next to this  was bilateral buttock augmentation (199 (81.2%)). Other cosmetic procedures such as tummy tuck, facial cosmetic surgery,  umbilicoplasty, and labiaplasty each constituted less than three percent of the patients. The abdomen (224 (91.4%)), back (219 (89.4%)), and arms (79 (32.2%)) were the most common regions of the body sought for liposuction, while the calves (2 (0.8%)) were the least.  Liposuction of the arms was associated with the BMI (p < 0.003).

Conclusion: Liposuction and bilateral buttock augmentation are the  most common cosmetic surgery procedures accessed by this cohort of Nigerian women.