The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) has released its annual member survey results identifying the biggest trends in facial plastic surgery for 2018.
Preventative procedures reigned supreme in 2018, coining the name “pre-juvenation,” a combination of preventative and rejuvenation. This term refers to younger patients who don’t necessarily need facial rejuvenation and choose to undergo invasive and non-invasive facial cosmetic surgery procedures as a way to help combat the signs of aging before they begin. In fact, members surveyed noticed a 72 percent uptick in non-invasive facial cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers among the under-30 set, and a 24 percent increase in surgical procedures among the same demographic.
Dr. Randy Sanovich is a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon practicing in Dallas, Texas. He has noticed an increase in traffic among millennials and xennials in his own practice.
“Younger people know more today about how to prevent the signs of aging than ever before,” says Sanovich. “From protecting their skin from sun damage to the latest in facial cosmetic surgery and non-surgical treatments, they have learned how to help freeze the hands of time.”
Another trend that appeared frequently in the AAFPRS survey? Rhinoplasty, or “nose jobs,” are consistently the No. 1 facial cosmetic surgery procedure year after year. Other top performers were blepharoplasties (eyelid lifts) and revision plastic surgery, classified as revisions to prior procedures on the face. In fact, revision plastic surgeries surged in 2018, doubling in popularity over 2017.
“Patients know what they want, and they’ll undergo a second or third procedure to get it,” Sanovich says. “Nobody should have to settle for results they’re not happy with.”
Finally, a big trend Sanovich says has markedly changed since prior generations is the push for more natural-looking results.
“Patients want to look like themselves, only better,” he says.
Maybe that’s why non-invasive procedures like Botox and fillers are up among the younger set – and other generations too. In fact, members report that four out of five procedures were non-invasive injectable procedures like Botox, Dysport, Restylane, and Juvederm, just to name a few.
“When done correctly, cosmetic injectables and fillers look very natural and can make minor adjustments to the face without being invasive,” Sanovich says.
Sanovich, for one, offers injectables in his Dallas clinic, with his own special technique, which offers beautiful results with less discomfort and needle marks on the skin.
“I have found that by injecting these products into multiple layers of the skin, you can avoid bursting blood vessels, creating a much more comfortable patient experience,” he says. “It really makes the whole experience more pleasant and the results much more natural in appearance.”