The State of Plastic Surgery: Less is More
“There’s a different feeling when patients come in today,” said Melissa Doft, M.D., a New York–based plastic surgeon. “When [people used to] come in for a face lift, they’d say, ‘Pull me as tight as you possibly can; you know it’s not going to last, so make me look like I’m 40.’ Now they all say, ‘Don’t pull too tight, it’s okay to have a wrinkle.’”
Indeed, the widespread revolt against ageism seen everywhere from runway shows to advertisements seems to be seeping into plastic surgery, too. “Patients are now saying, ‘I don’t want to look 40, it’s okay that I’m 65. I just want to look great at [that age],’” said Doft.
These more understated attempts are reflected in the top minimally-invasive procedures of 2016: botox, fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal and microdermabrasion. But Doft believes a backlash to these non-surgical procedures — and others, including Ultherapy and Coolsculpting — is underway.