What is causing the increase in face lifts and other types of plastic surgery among baby boomers?
You have no doubt heard about millennials using “okay, boomer” as today’s version of the constantly recycled criticism of one generation toward another. If you don’t quite understand exactly what the phrase is supposed to mean, you are not alone. Whatever meaning they ascribe to it, some baby boomers have taken offense and have swiped back, but it seems that a larger number of boomers are focusing on something entirely different: looking better as they re-enter the dating scene.
The divorce rate for millennials and Generation Xers seems to be on a decline. They are waiting longer to get married and, consequently, are better established in careers and have a more secure financial base, leading to less of the stress that typically threatens marriage. Baby boomers married younger and their divorce rate since the 1990s has nearly doubled.
Dating has never been easy for most people, but it’s a totally different world than what it was when baby boomers started dating. Somewhere around 20 million boomers have currently created profiles on internet-based dating websites and have come face to face with the reality of first impressions lasting as long as someone can swipe their finger across the screen on their phone.
Baby Boomers and Plastic Surgery
As we grow older, we hopefully learn that there are many important qualities that matter when choosing someone to date. That said, you have to meet and spend time with them to discover those qualities and how you look on a dating site can make all the difference in getting that opportunity. That’s why so many Americans over 55 are turning to plastic surgery.
Some of the most requested procedures by this age group include:
- Facelift – a facelift or more technically, rhytidectomy, tightens aging muscles and removes excess fat and skin. The majority of facelifts are done for those over 55.
- Eyelid surgery – also known as blepharoplasty, this procedure is used to lift drooping eyelids. Nearly half of all eyelid surgeries are performed on those over 55.
- Liposuction – this is the removal of fat cells that are broken apart and then pulled from beneath the skin through the use of a suction process.
- Breast augmentation – also referred to as augmentation mammoplasty or, more popularly, breast implant surgery, this procedure is done to increase the size of the breast.
- Botox – lines and wrinkles are reduced or disappear when tiny needles inject Botox under the skin which interacts with the muscles near the point of the injection.
- Dermal fillers – different from the way Botox works, fillers, like Restylane, do not target the muscles but instead are injected in areas to restore volume and smooth the appearance of the skin.
Unlike the generations before them, baby boomers have never embraced the idea of spending the later stages of their lives in rocking chairs on the front porch. They are remaining active and feel much younger than the number on their driver’s license, which they have no intention of giving up anytime soon! It only makes sense that they want to look as good as they feel, and, for many, plastic surgery is helping them to do just that.
Dr. Brian D. Cohen is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with extensive training in cosmetic/reconstructive plastic surgery and has had years of experience performing a wide array of cosmetic surgery procedures, specializing in procedures of the face, eyes, nose, breast and body and is known for his exemplary and compassionate care by his patients. Knowing that Dr. Cohen has been selected by his peers in Super Doctors for 8 years in a row in 2020 gives you the confidence that he is highly respected for his performance in his specialty.
Information on locations and office hours for Cohen Plastic Surgery can be found by clicking here.