The Rise of Plastic Surgery for Under 30

“American plastic surgeons are reporting a spike in clients under 30 seeking changes or ‘enhancements’ to how they look.” - Breakpoint

Discussion

I looked up long term stats, and for 2020 vs. 2000, it's overall up 22%, including a 14% drop in 2020 due to Covid. This is about 5% beyond the overall growth in population--it's there, but it's not a huge shift. My best guess is that a lot of young people didn't get their first procedures in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, and they're doing it now--taking appointments from older people who would be renewing their cosmetic procedures. Plus, you've got the increasing prevalence of transitioning driving things.

The thing that saddens me is that these surgeries don't really address what really counts for beauty, which is facial expressions and the silhouette. Anthropologists have looked through millenia of artistic representations of women, and what they've found is that the silhouette--approximately the classic hourglass--is the key marker of beauty. Not legs, back, chest, neck, or whatever; the silhouette.

So really until plastic surgeons enhance facial expression and start doing hip and shoulder enhancements, they're actually working against the most consistent markers of attractiveness. Botox kills facial expressions, and the way you get that figure is by...work or exercise.

Side note; the preference for the healthy silhouette is a big reason to have some modesty in attire, because a lot of clothing that accentuates certain areas actually draws attention away from the silhouette. It's something I'm teaching my kids.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.