Millennials are scheduling plastic surgery procedures in record numbers, according to statistics from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
The AAFPRS, the world’s largest specialty association for facial plastic surgery, reported that 64 percent of its members saw an increase in patients under the age of 35.
The millennial generation is the nation’s largest age demographic, numbering 75.4 million people.
Popular Procedures Among Millennials
The AAFPRS reports that many millennials chose minimally invasive procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers such as Juvederm and Restalyne not to treat wrinkles, but to prevent wrinkles from ever developing.The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that the number of people age 19 to 34 who underwent Botox increased by 41 percent between 2011 and 2015.
“Younger patients choosing plastic surgery procedures are not looking to reverse the signs of aging; they are looking for ways to prevent the signs of aging altogether,” said Dr. Gregory W. Chernoff, M.D., F.R.C.S. Chernoff is a triple board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon with practices in Indianapolis and Santa Rosa, California.
Millennials often choose to have minimally invasive or non-invasive procedures including liposuction, facial fat reduction, skin tightening and lip enhancements.”Many young patients are interested in lips that are full but still look natural,” Chernoff said. Surgical procedures were also common among the demographic. In 2015, 68,000 millennials had rhinoplasty surgery. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, many types of breast surgeries were also in high demand for millennials. Breast implant surgery was the No. 1 procedure for those under 35 in 2015.
There were also 29,000 breast reductions performed that year.
Eye-Opening Insight
Another surgical procedure frequently picked by those born between 1982 and 2004 was blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift surgery. The eyelid lift surgery is typically performed on individuals in their 40s or 50s, but 71 percent of the millennials who chose to undergo the eyelid lift procedure cited motivations of wanting to look more awake and alert to stay competitive in the workplace.
“When eyelids droop, they give the face a tired appearance and communicate to others that you are tired. Sagging eyelids or eyebrows may unintentionally also communicate anger or frustration,” Chernoff said. According to the AAFPRS, millennials who had the eyelid lift procedure reported the fear that looking tired could translate to supervisors that they may not be able to complete their job duties.
More Motivation for Millennials
Another factor motivating millennials to choose plastic surgery is the desire to look like their favorite stars.”It is not uncommon for people that are looking for plastic surgery to come in for a consultation with the goal of looking like a celebrity in mind,” Chernoff said. “Some individuals are very particular and want lips like Kylie Jenner, a nose like Jennifer Aniston or buttocks like Jennifer Lopez. Social media is also a driving force behind millennials seeking surgery. “Younger patients often share information about plastic surgery on their social media – from their procedures to information about their doctor to showing off their final results,” Chernoff said. Some millennials, such as Fort Worth, Texas, beauty blogger Ashley Devonna, even stream their procedures over their favorite social media platforms for others to watch their surgeries in real time. Devonna, 24, broadcast her breast augmentation surgery over Facebook, Instagram and YouTube in April 2017. Sharing pictures and selfies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram often motivates friends and followers to seek out surgeons and surgical procedures. “If you like how your friend’s eyelid surgery, breast procedure or Botox turned out, you may be likely to look into procedures for yourself,” Chernoff said. The surge in plastic surgery procedures is not limited to millennials. The ASPS’ Plastic Surgery Statistics 2016 reports there were 17.1 million cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S., a 3 percent increase over 2015.
Sources:
American Academy of Facial and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, “Face of Plastic Surgery Goes Younger Due to Growing Social Media and Reality TV Influence on Millennials” 14 January 2016
International Business Times, “What Millennials Like: A Rise in Botox Linked to Social Media,” 15 March 17
American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plastic Surgery Statistics 2016.