Plastic surgery is back. The number of people undergoing cosmetic plastic surgery plummeted after the economic recession of 2008, but as the economic outlook improves, the most recent figures suggest that a double-digit comeback is underway. Here’s what top facial plastic surgeons from the AAFPRS predict we will be seeing more of (and less of) this year.
1. Fat is phat. Using your own fat for cosmetic surgery has experienced a pronounced uptick in popularity in the past few years. Fat harvested from one part of the body such as the tummy or buttocks is transferred to facial areas. We will see more fat being used in 2014 largely because the results are becoming more predictable and longer lasting. There will also be an increased interest in the healing and regenerative potential of growth factors, stem cells and other substances found in fat.
“Facial plastic surgeons are continuously refining their fat harvesting and injection techniques, utilizing a variety of different methods and in some cases, combining fat with other substances, such as platelet rich plasma. Besides restoring volume, the data suggests that adding fat back to the face may also improve the skin texture and tone,” says Ed Farrior, MD, FACS, President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).
Read Related: Miracle Beauty Products: They Exist!
2. Designer filler debuts. At long last, after being a big hit across the pond, Juvederm® Voluma received the official nod from the Federal Food and Drug Administration in late 2013. This filler fills an important niche —the cheeks or midface. Juvederm® Voluma does more than just spackling over lines and plumping up creases. It adds volume and fullness to areas of the face that diminish with advancing age and enhances it facial symmetry. Expect other site-specific “designer-fillers” to enter the US market in 2014.
3, Lips are the new “it” spot for rejuvenation. Growing numbers of women will be opting to plump up their puckers for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Gone are the days where lips are overfilled and inflated with collagen, a la Goldie Hawn in “The First Wives’ Club.” Now, facial plastic surgeons have mastered the fine art of lip enhancement and can achieve natural, subtle, soft and kissable results.
4. Rhino-popularity continues to soar. Found to be the most common surgical procedure for both men and women under 35, according to the AAFPRS, and the most in-demand facial plastic surgery among men, rhinoplasty has seen a recent resurgence in interest.
Rhinoplasty is so popular that facial plastic surgeons coined a term for it—rhino-popularity. And it’s here to stay. The nose is the central feature of the face and even a small improvement of plus or minus a few millimeters of cartilage or bone can make a big impact in your overall appearance.
5. The big chill. Baby it’s really cold outside! The Polar Vortex may have dipped into record-breaking negatives across many parts of the US. But facial plastic surgeons are quick to point out that freezing can have some important cosmetic and reconstructive benefits! Expect to hear more about cryotherapy and its many roles in 2014, including freezing your fat and forehead wrinkle smoothing.
The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is the world’s largest specialty association for facial plastic surgery. It represents more than 2,700 facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons throughout the world. The AAFPRS is a National Medical Specialty Society of the American Medical Association (AMA), and holds an official seat in both the AMA House of Delegates and the American College of Surgeons board of governors. AAFPRS members are board certified surgeons whose focus is surgery of the face, head, and neck. AAFPRS members subscribe to a code of ethics. In addition, the AAFPRS provide consumers with free information and brochures and a list of qualified facial plastic surgeons in their area by visiting the AAFPRS website,www.AAFPRS.org.
