Breast reductions in UK overtake enlargements for first time, data shows | Plastic surgery
Breast reductions and implant removal have overtaken enlargements for the first time, data shows, as experts link the move to more active lifestyles.
The latest annual audit from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) shows there were 4,761 breast augmentation procedures in 2025, an 8% drop on the previous year.
There have also been 4,673 breast reduction procedures and 847 implant removals, with surgeons saying the trend reflects a growing shift towards comfort and a more active lifestyle, alongside the rise of fitted “sports” clothing.
They also noted an increase in facial procedures, including facelifts and eyelid surgeries. One of the fastest growing procedures is the brow lift, which has increased by 27% overall.
Labiaplasty – a surgical procedure designed to reduce, reshape or increase the size of the labia – is also up 6%.
Nora Nugent, president of BAAPS, said: “For the first time, we are seeing that the number of patients undergoing breast reduction and implant removal exceeds those opting for augmentation. This reflects a broader shift from exaggerated curves to a more natural silhouette, which better complements active lifestyles and the continued rise of athleisure fashion.”
Nugent added that the trend toward an active lifestyle could also “explain the increase in labiaplasty procedures.” She said: “In my practice, patients most commonly cite discomfort during exercise and concerns about visibility in tighter-fitting clothing, such as athletic clothing. Notably, many older women share that they have only recently become aware of labiaplasty as a solution to symptoms they have been experiencing for years.”
Dr. Anil Joshi, ENT consultant and facial plastic surgeon, sees a similar trend: “Patients are becoming more and more selective. They are less interested in what appears to have been accomplished.”
He added that breast augmentation hasn’t gone away, “but the motivation may have changed. Women now generally talk more about their lifestyle than cup size… Implant removals are increasing for the same reason. Most women don’t look back on a mistake. They reflect a new stage in life.”
Women still account for 93.9% of all procedures, with 25,217 operations performed in 2025, a 2% decrease from the previous year. In 2025, 26,840 cosmetic procedures were performed, a decrease of 2% compared to the previous year.
The procedures chosen by men are evolving, with facial surgery now dominant. For the first time, eyelid surgery became the most performed procedure among men with 346 procedures, up 8%, surpassing rhinoplasty, for which there were 273 procedures, down 18%.
