The 2019 Trends in Cosmetic Surgery: Less Is More

By Dr. Jerome Potozkin, MD

The number of minimally invasive cosmetic procedures performed has grown nearly 200 percent since 2000. That trend is expected to continue and get even bigger as many patients realize that when it comes to cosmetic surgery, less is more.

We don’t see a lot of patients  who are bringing in photos of celebrities and saying they want to look like them. Most of our patients now just want to be a better version of themselves. They’re taking advantage of the many low-cost, minimally invasive procedures that have been introduced in the last few years.

Minimally invasive procedures usually have less pain, a shorter hospital stay (or no hospital stay at all) and fewer potential complications. Other advantages include the low cost and little or no downtime. And many patients like the fact that there’s less of a chance their friends will notice a dramatic change in appearance.

Minimally invasive procedures usually have less pain and fewer potential complications.

Here are some examples of the new trends; I expect them to become even more popular in 2019.

Injectables. The accessibility of injectables means there is less downtime for a procedure, lower cost and less invasiveness. Injectables, lasers, and skin resurfacing can be relatively quick procedures, often with immediately visible effects.

More cosmetic treatments by men. There has been a slow but steady increase in the number of men seeking a cosmetic procedure as that becomes more mainstream. The total number of cosmetic surgical procedures performed among men was 1.2 million in 2015 — more than triple the number of men in 1997.

Exaggerated cosmetic procedures will decline. Patients increasingly want to maintain their general face structure and inherited family traits, but with a few refined tweaks.

There will be less medical tourism. What was once an emerging trend of people going to foreign countries for cheaper cosmetic procedures will continue to decline.  Horror stories of complications with no way to remedy them have resulted in many patients realizing that the cost savings are simply not worth gambling with their appearance.

The non-surgical facelift. This procedure delivers focused ultrasound energy deep into the skin, which causes it to lift and tighten and promote maximum collagen rejuvenation. Collagen is what keeps the skin looking plump, but it decreases with age. Studies show that collagen production continues to increase in the six to 12 weeks after the procedure, resulting in a tighter, more contoured look that can last for more than a year.

Dr. Jerome Potozkin, author of the new book Botox and Beyond: Your Guide to Safe, Nonsurgical, Cosmetic Procedures, is a leading dermatologist who practices in Danville, CA. For more information on his work, click here.