The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) has released its annual survey, which exposes the top trends in facial plastic surgery and compares these trends to previous years. These plastic surgery trends are born out of the social pressures clients experience in their everyday lives. Take a look at how society is shaping the next wave of plastic surgery trends.
Selfies: Here to Stay
According to AAFPRS, 55 percent of plastic surgeons met with clients who wanted to look better in their selfie images. This is compared to 42 percent of surgeons in 2016. The request for plastic surgery in order to look good in selfies first appeared on the AAFPRS’s radar in 2013. Since then clients have been seeking lip injections, chin implants, and ear lobe reductions to look their best on social media profiles, and to mimic celebrity appearances.
“For a few years, AAFPRS members have been at the forefront of this trend,” says AAFPRS president, William H. Truswell, M.D. “More and more of our patients are using social media as a forum to gain a sense of solidarity when under-going a major, potentially life-changing procedure. Consumers are only a swipe away from finding love and a new look, and this movement is only going to get stronger.”
According to AAFPRS, of the surgical procedures available to clients, rhinoplasty remains the most popular. In 2017, 97 percent of surgeons performed the surgery followed by blepharoplasty (95 percent) and facelifts (88 percent).
Feel and Look Good: Not Anti-Aging
Unlike past generations that gravitated towards anti-aging products, millennials are more interested in products that make them feel great and focus on heath, vitality, and empowerment. Millennials are more likely to choose and injectable rather than traditional surgery routes. Of the minimally invasive procedures, Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are the most popular choice for both men and women across all generations, says AAFPRS.
“This emerging segment is knowledgeable about high tech skincare and sun prevention and starts with facial injectables before they turn 30,” says Truswell. “As more Millennials come of age and gain disposable income for aesthetic treatments, our members have seen steady growth in the demand for cosmetic procedures.”
According to AAFPRS, in 2017 more than half of AAFPRS members saw an increase in cosmetic surgery or injectables with clients under the age of 30 and more than 80 percent of treatments in 2017 were cosmetic non-surgical procedures.
Promotions: Fuel to the Industry
According to AAFPRS, 57 percent of facial plastic surgeons said their clients were seeking treatments in order to stay relative and competitive at work. Both men and women want to look refresh their look and also limit their downtime. As for what is being requested, the eyelids are a point of concern for clients. Seventy-three percent of members saw a rise in the number of requests for eyelid procedures, and 72 percent saw the request combined with non-surgical procedures.
“By combining non-surgical choices such as novel lasers, hybrid lasers and microneedling systems, we are able to treat a wide range of facial rejuvenation concerns in the span of one appointment,” says Truswell. “These procedures all boast very little downtime, meaning patients with demanding careers can be back in the office without skipping a beat.”
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