When we talk about cosmetic surgery, we typically focus on procedures like facelifts, breast lifts, or liposuction, but if you ask around at any major plastic surgery practice, you may be surprised. In recent years, there’s been substantial growth in non-surgical aesthetic procedures, particularly the use of injectable substances. A step up from popular superficial treatments like anti-aging serums, injectables can eliminate wrinkles, minimize inappropriate pigmentation, and even reshape the face in ways previously only seen with surgical intervention.
The Rise Of Aesthetic Procedures
Just how popular are injectables and other non-surgical procedures? According to Medical Economics, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons saw a 7% increase in such procedures between 2017 and 2018. That’s despite there being only a 2% increase in cosmetic surgery procedures overall during that same time. Some of these procedures are essentially household names – think Botox – while others are much newer or less well-known, but are positioned to grow in popularity over the next several years.
Dermal Fillers
One of the more popular injectable products on the market today are dermal fillers, and one reason they’re so widely used is that they have a range of applications. In smaller amounts, dermal fillers can be used to treat deep facial lines, like those that form between the lips and cheeks, while in larger amounts it’s used like an injectable implant to plump thin lips.
Despite the product’s apparent simplicity, you want an expert to perform the procedure. While certified clinics with minimally trained aestheticians are popping up all over, these practitioners can do more harm than good. Experienced plastic surgeons see better results with dermal fillers because they understand the architecture of the face and use techniques informed by that knowledge.
Jawline Shaping
Most women don’t give a lot of thought to their jawlines, but one of the biggest shifts in aesthetic procedure use in recent years is an increase in popularity among men. Many achieve this with the same types of fillers described above, but that’s not the only option. Some practices also use a combination of a radio frequency laser and fat freezing technology to create a sculpted jawline. The frozen fat cells are evacuated by the body, while the laser treatments enhance collagen along the jawline to tighten the skin.
Fancy Facials
While most people wouldn’t consider a facial to be a procedure, there may be a few exceptions, most notably oxygenating facials. That’s because, though often performed by aestheticians, oxygenating facials are seeing a boom in more traditional medical settings for their skin health boosting effects. These facials work by combining external hyaluronic acid treatments with a wand that delivers high-flow oxygen directly to the skin. Though there are still questions about the scientific underpinnings of the procedure, many people report decreased fine lines, reduced acne, and a more even skin tone.
Surgical procedures can obviously make a big difference in skin health and appearance, but why go through all the risk and recovery when you can get similar benefits from non-surgical interventions? With the substantial improvements in injectable interventions, such virtually painless transformations are now possible.
