Prejuvenation - Why Preventative Care is a Growing Trend

The desire to remain youthful in appearance has led many people to have cosmetic procedures as they get older. Plastic surgery is often thought of as a way for older patients to turn back the clock and gain a more youthful and rejuvenated look. Recently, there have been reports of younger patients having treatments to delay the impact of aging on the skin by having “prejuvenation” treatments from plastic surgeons.

Prejuvenation Treatments – What Does it Mean?

Thanks to the growth of social media and influencers trying to look their best at all times in photos and videos, people who are younger than ever are seeking help from plastic surgeons to remain younger looking. In general, prejuvenation is a trend that involves the use of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures with the purpose of both reversing current signs of aging and preventing the appearance of future changes made by the aging process. Instead of rejuvenating (restoring) the skin, this cosmetic trend wants to prevent changes to the skin that have not happened yet, or they are just starting to make an appearance on the skin.

According to a 2021 report from the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, women who are under the age of thirty are starting to represent a growing percentage of cosmetic surgery patients. The report stated, “2020 may have marked the full Millennial takeover of the aesthetic industry.” In addition, patients who are ages fifty-six and older now represent a lower percentage of the overall number of patients.

Some of the most popular aspects of the aging process that are commonly addressed include crow’s feet, dark circles and bags under the eyes, and creases in the skin such as smile lines and laugh lines.

Prejuvenation – Reasons for Growth in Popularity

One of the reasons medical experts feel that prejuvenation has grown in popularity is the easy online access the public has to information about cosmetic surgery, and this includes videos posted by doctors and patients on their social media pages. In addition, beauty apps and filters give a person interested in cosmetic surgery an opportunity to see what they will look like if they have a certain treatment. Finally, it can sometimes seem like everyone is making a change to their look since the topic of cosmetic surgery is being discussed more than ever before in articles and videos that feature online influencers and celebrities.

The idea of prevention when it comes to the skin is not a new one as the beauty industry has often promoted the importance of prevention when it comes to protecting the skin. For example, two of the more popular steps that are promoted include the use of sunscreen to protect the skin from the rays of the sun and Botox that is injected into the face to reduce the appearance of current fine lines and wrinkles and to minimize the formation of deeper wrinklies in the future.

Prejuvenation – Popular Treatment Options

In addition to Botox, dermal filler is often used to add lost volume back into the treated area and to address the deepening of nasolabial folds. The formation and stimulation of collagen and elastin can be achieved through the use of microneedling as the production of collagen can slow down as a person ages. The performance of microneedling when a person is in their twenties can help a person retain a youthful look.

Prejuvenation – Is it Necessary?

While prejuvenation treatments can be helpful for patients in the long run, there are some concerns regarding this trend.

For example, Botox is a popular and successful treatment option for patients who want to treat and/or prevent the appearance of wrinkles. But, if Botox is used on a consistent basis by patients of a younger age, there is the possibility that the patient can reach the point where the product is not as effective as the person continues to age.

It is also important to take care when making the decision to have a treatment that falls under the definition of prejuvenation. It takes some planning to make sure a person does not start at too early an age and that the person takes care when planning which treatments to have performed on their body. There are some people who want to have a procedure due to photos and videos they view online even though they do not really need to a have a treatment. They want to follow the latest trends instead of thinking of how cosmetic surgery can impact their appearance. Plus, there can be times when prejuvenation does not provide any type of immediate visible result on the treated area so the patient might actually undergo a number of treatments before realizing they are not enjoying any type of physical or visible benefit.

Anyone interested in prejuvenation needs to meet with a board-certified doctor who is experienced in performing the desired treatment. The doctor will examine the patient to make sure the person is an ideal candidate for the procedure and will be able to enjoy actual benefits from the treatment of choice.

- MA