Millennials’ demands to stay looking their very best for as long as possible. In Real Life (IRL) and online are key drivers behind the growing demand for cosmetic surgery, according to The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

The latest survey by the AAFPRS, the world’s largest association of facial plastic surgeons, found “a strong link between millennials (now 22-37 years old) and the growing demand for cosmetic procedures.

According to the report, the  average number of surgical procedures has almost doubled since 2013 (up 47 percent) with a 22 percent increase in Botox injections compared to 2013 “revealing that facial tweaks and treatments continue to be embraced and are sought after at a marathon pace”.

“AAFPRS members note that there is more emphasis on early care or pre-juvenation in the 20s and 30s and that technology – both in the physician’s office and at home – plays a key role in confidence.

“It’s not just YouTube makeup tutorials upping millennials’ beauty game – it is the way they embrace self-care, SPF and facial plastic surgery treatments.”

According to the report, 72 percent of facial plastic surgeons saw an increase in cosmetic surgery or injectables in patients under age 30 during 2018.

This is a significant increase from 2017, when over half of members noted this influx of younger patients.

AAFPRS president Phillip R. Langsdon says this increase “points to the larger ‘pre-juvenation’ trend with more and more patients wanting to remain youthful rather than turn back the clock on signs of ageing later.

“Our younger patients are controlling the ageing process and taking prevention seriously.”

In addition, “unlike prior generations who often kept their tweaks on the low”, millennials are coming of age in a time where facial plastic surgery is normalised – even deemed mainstream by some in an era of ‘resting rich face’, selfies and snapchat.”

Other key trends identified in the report are:

Natural-look rules
While 97 percent of AAFPRS members feel celebrities have an influence on facial plastic surgery, trends are shifting away from overly-enhanced looks like the infamous Kylie pout of 2016. A natural-looking outcome is paramount for patients, with 41 percent stating a fear of looking unnatural as their top concern when considering cosmetic enhancements.”

Rhino reigns
For surgical trends, rhinoplasty leads the way year after year (performed by 96 percent of surgeons in 2018) followed by revision surgery (94 percent) and eye lifts (93 percent).

Injectables increase
Botox and fillers were the first and second most popular treatments performed by facial plastic surgeons last year. In fact four fifths of the treatments performed by facial plastic surgeons in 2018 were cosmetic non-surgical procedures such as Botox and fillers.

Revisions on the rise
Revision surgery has skyrocketed in the past year, with the average number of revision surgeries performed per AAFPRS member nearly doubling since 2017. Approximately one third of facial plastic surgeons attribute this rise in revisions to the increase in non-medical staff doing procedures.