Getting a little work done isn’t just for people trying to reclaim their lost youth anymore — young people themselves are increasingly getting cosmetic touch-ups, too.
What happened: Millennials and Gen Z now account for 41% of cosmetic procedures involving neurotoxins, according to data reported by Axios, a larger combined share than Gen X’s 39%.
- Young people regard some of these treatments, like Botox or fillers, as “preventive” measures to slow aging effects, but more invasive surgeries like facelifts are also having a moment.
Why it’s happening: A number of factors are driving the trend, including greater normalization of cosmetic treatments among celebrities and internet influencers, weight loss drugs that spark demand for follow-up work, and the proliferation of chic “medispas” backed by private equity.
- Heavy social media use and the rise of cheaper plastic surgery tourism in places like Turkey have also been factors.
Why it matters: Our media and entertainment ecosystem is fueling a desire — or pressure — among a large and increasingly youthful segment of people to keep up with new (and often shifting) beauty standards.
- For those who don’t want to go under the knife in the name of beauty, this raises obvious concerns: “I don’t wanna feel like I have to get plastic surgery, or go on a pill, in order to participate in this world,” fashion writer Stella Bugbee said after attending Paris Fashion Week last month.
Bottom line: Whether you think it’s good or bad, cosmetic procedures are now an all-ages affair.—TS
