Cosmetic Procedure Reviews: Was It Worth It?
Originally published on September 20, 2016. Updated April 27, 2021 with up to date review data.
User reviews have become extremely important in all purchase decisions, especially the choice to buy higher priced items. A recent survey from BrigthLocal found that over 88% of consumers consider personal recommendations or reviews prior to making a purchase. It’s basic human nature – we like to hear about the experiences of others before taking the plunge ourselves.
Unfortunately it can be hard to get good feedback regarding cosmetic procedures as many people prefer to remain quiet about their personal decisions on treatments they have had, often only telling their close family and friends about the treatments their procedures.
We recently analyzed the reviews of both surgical and non-surgical treatments on the website RealSelf.com. Specifically, users are asked to rate their procedure as “worth it”, “not worth it”, or “not sure”. The site then calculates a Worth It Rating from the proportion of “worth it” vs “not worth it” votes (“not sure” votes are not included).
The data below shows some of the findings for surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments. Factors such as provider experience/expertise, baseline condition of the patient, and cost of the procedure are not considered in the ratings (Data updated April 27, 2021).
Surgical Procedures
| Procedure | Worth It Rating |
| Breast Augmentation | 97% |
| Breast Reduction | 97% |
| Male Breast Reduction | 97% |
| Body Lift | 96% |
| Mommy Makeover | 96% |
| Tummy Tuck | 96% |
| Otoplasty (Ear Surgery) | 96% |
| Hair Transplant | 94% |
| Facelift | 94% |
| Eyelid Surgery | 94% |
| Arm Lift | 94% |
| Forehead Reduction | 94% |
| Breast Lift | 93% |
| Labiaplasty | 92% |
| Neck Lift | 92% |
| Rhinoplasty | 90% |
| Thigh Lift | 88% |
| Liposuction | 87% |
| Chin Implant | 86% |
| Brow Lift | 86% |
| Cheek Augmentation | 86% |
| Brazilian Butt Lift | 85% |
| Fat Transfer | 84% |
| Lip Augmentation | 83% |
| SmartLipo | 82% |
| Butt Implants | 79% |
Non-Surgical Ratings
| Procedure | Worth It Rating |
| Facial | 98% |
| Tattoo Removal | 98% |
| Botox | 96% |
| Restylane | 96% |
| Dysport | 95% |
| Microdermabrasion | 95% |
| Juvederm | 92% |
| Sclerotherapy | 92% |
| Chemical Peel | 91% |
| Voluma | 91% |
| Laser Hair Removal | 88% |
| Laser Resurfacing | 88% |
| Photofacial | 84% |
| Microneedling | 82% |
| miraDry | 80% |
| Radiesse | 79% |
| CoolSculpting | 78% |
| Sculptra | 74% |
** About the data: All review information was compiled in April 2021 from individual user reviews submitted on RealSelf.com over the last 24 months. Data is directly submitted by Real Self users, meaning we cannot verify its accuracy.
A united group of skin care specialists from Westlake Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Austin's leader in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. Articles posted under WD staff are authored through combined contributions from our entire team, including Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Physician Assistants, Aesthetic Nurses, and Patient Coordinators.
Wow all procedures listed have over 80% approval rates…..Very interesting. I wonder if the numbers are a bit skewed since I would imagine most users of Real Self are really into plastic surgery.
Great point Michael! The numbers do have to be taken with a grain of salt since Real Self users might fit a specific “mold” when it comes to cosmetic procedures. Also there could be a high correlation between knowledge of the procedure as Real Self users may research procedures more than non-users, and thus chose the best procedures for their needs.
Wow! This was a great idea, another resource that I will share with perspective patients. Great stuff!