More younger people want plastic surgery
After her fourth child, Lisa Wilkie felt open to getting a little cosmetic work done.
Feeling the toll having children had taken on her body, she made an appointment to discuss breast augmentation. After that procedure in 2017, Wilkie, 34, also began Botox, an appointment she’s made every 12 weeks for about two years.
“You just want to feel good,” she said. “Now it’s part of my routine.”
Millennials are showing up in plastic surgeons’ offices. Some request surgery. But many want “prejuvenation,” or what the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery describes as noninvasive treatments like Botox or chemical peels that aim to slow the results of aging, rather than correct them.
In survey results released Jan. 23, 72 percent of 110 of the group’s members surveyed reported an increase in cosmetic surgery or injectables in patients under age 30. Five years earlier, that number was 58 percent.
And the group’s top prediction for the future? More emphasis on early maintenance for people in their 20s and 30s. “We’re seeing a lot more younger women coming in just for preventative reasons,” said Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory Wiener.
A 2018 survey of about 2,000 adults by RealSelf, a website for people considering cosmetic treatment, revealed that those most likely to consider treatments were parents with children and female millennials ages 18 to 34.
Plastic surgeons say looking natural is a top concern for patients, which Wilkie echoed. She wanted “something that’s subtle but definitely noticeable, too, where people can’t quite put their finger on what you have had done.”
Women are still the most common patients; 86 percent of procedures are performed on women, according to the plastic-surgery academy. Most common were rhinoplasty, revision surgery — surgery to fix a previous surgery because of patient dissatisfaction or necessity — and blepharoplasty, an eyelid surgery. Among nonsurgical procedures, most common were Botox, fillers and skin treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion or lasers. For men, the most common procedures were Botox, fillers, skin treatments and rhinoplasty.
So why are millennials looking for plastic surgeons?
Social media plays a factor, say surgeons, and so do celebrities, like Kylie Jenner, who are open about injecting lips with temporary fillers. Almost all surgeons surveyed — 97 percent — said celebrities have an influence on facial plastic surgery. On Instagram, celebs show off enhanced lips and lingerie snaps. Scrolling social media shows selfies in doctors’ offices, thanking them for improvements, and people pouting in chairs in beforeand-after photos.
Wiener said patients come in and show him selfies, saying, “When I post something and look at what I posted, I don’t like what I’m seeing.”
Plastic surgery used to be something people didn’t openly share. Social media seems to make young women less inclined to hide the cosmetic work they pursue.
But what kind of plastic surgery could people in their 20s need? Dr. Phillip Langsdon, president of the academy, said that’s a question for doctors to consider.
“We don’t treat everybody just because they come in and they want it,” he said. “We have to be very selective in that age category, because some young people can perceive that they need something because they see a photograph of another person on the internet.”
Langsdon said doctors should consider, “What do they really need, what are their expectations, is it justified and can we actually achieve what they want?”
In some cases, Langsdon would consider procedures for young patients. If someone has very thin lips, with a shape that could benefit from filler, he might go forward. Or he might consider Botox for a 30-year-old with unusually strong lines on the forehead. But he is careful to discuss expectations and whether the procedure will match them.
Consumers should do their homework on the person they’re seeing. Not all those who advertise plastic surgery on social media are board-certified plastic surgeons; patients should make sure their surgeon is certified by a medical board.
“How much experience do they have, what training does that person have, do they know what they’re doing, and can they take care of any complications that could happen?” Langsdon said.