Seniors and Cosmetic Surgery

May 13th, 2016 | Posted in: Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery | Tags: cosmetic surgery, Seniors

Why More Seniors Are Getting Cosmetic Surgery

Over the past five years, the number of plastic surgery patients over the age of 65 has increased by more than 352 per cent, making the elderly one of the fastest growing groups of patients. More than a million aesthetic procedures were performed on patients 65 and older in 2014.

While every adult age group has seen an increase in the number of cosmetic procedures undergone, it’s only seniors that have increased their share of the market, doubling their share since 2005.

Cosmetic Procedures Most Commonly Undergone by Seniors

Unsurprisingly, age reversal procedures like face and eye lifts are the cosmetic procedures most commonly undergone by seniors, but cosmetic procedures of all kinds are becoming increasingly popular.

Breast augmentation has seen a 30 per cent rise in popularity among seniors in the past five years and rhinoplasty has seen an increase in popularity of 343 per cent, while Botox has increased in popularity by 97 per cent.

Do Seniors Face Greater Cosmetic Surgery Risks?

While a careful consultation is important for cosmetic surgery patients of all ages, it’s especially important for elderly patients. Older patients make riskier candidates because of the health issues related with aging, like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Surgeons may want to take more time and care consulting with seniors to make sure they have the best possible experience and quickest, easiest possible recovery.

However, it’s overall health, not age, that determines a good candidate for cosmetic surgery. Active, healthy seniors can be better candidates for cosmetic procedures than people half their age that have heart disease and live a sedentary lifestyle.

While seniors do have a slightly higher rate of complications, they’re only seen in 1.94 per cent of procedures for adults over 65, as opposed to in 1.84 per cent of procedures for patients younger than 65.

Reasons for Increasing Popularity Among Seniors

There are several possible reasons that could account for the increasing number of seniors getting cosmetic surgery.

First, people are working longer than ever. By 2019, 40 per cent of Americans 55 and older will still be in the workforce. This means that older people are more able to afford cosmetic surgery than ever before.

Furthermore, more and more Americans feel like looks play a part in hiring. That, coupled with a culture that emphasizes looking youthful, leads many baby boomers to cosmetic procedures.

Many older patients who have undergone cosmetic procedures report feeling more confident in the modern job market.

People are living longer than ever as well, and seniors are becoming more and more active. Older people feel far younger than they look, so many seniors are turning to cosmetic procedures to make their faces and bodies match their personality and activity level.

Stigma related to cosmetic procedures is fading as well. Cosmetic surgery is now more acceptable than ever, leading many people who never would have considered it before, or people who considered cosmetic procedures but didn’t follow through because of the stigma, to go under the needle or knife.

Advancing medical technology makes it easier for patients to recover from cosmetic surgery and allows patients who would not have formerly been candidates for surgery due to medical conditions to be eligible for cosmetic surgery.

Improved technology has also led to more natural looking results, prompting patients who in the past feared looking “fake” to undergo cosmetic procedures.

Finally, just like every other age group, seniors report experiencing long term psychological and quality of life benefits from cosmetic surgery.

Some patients say that after divorce or the death of a long term partner, cosmetic surgery allows them to feel attractive and confident as they date again, often for the first time in decades. It’s almost as if cosmetic procedures help some people feel like they’re finally putting themselves first after spending most of their life prioritizing their children and spouse.

Contact Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Today

Regardless of reasoning, if you’re an older person interested in cosmetic procedures, schedule a consultation with Dr. Gabriel Chiu at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery today to see if your health makes you a good candidate for the cosmetic procedures you have in mind. Start your path to a younger, more invigorated look now.