It’s often said that true beauty is ageless but, let’s face it, we could all use a little help as the years add up. Likewise, as this infographic from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) suggests, the number of candles on patients’ personal birthday cakes plays a significant role in the types of assistance they’re likely to seek.
It’s not really surprising that people ages 35 to 50 are opting for injectables (48% of all such procedures!) and mommy makeovers or that those ages 51 to 64 are choosing facelifts and eyebrow lifts. After all, the former are dealing with the competitive pressures of the workplace and the daily challenges of parenthood; the latter with the realization that, even though they’re still technically Baby Boomers, they’re a half-century or more from their adorable toddler days.
More interesting, perhaps, is the fact that more people ages 65 and older are opting for cosmetic surgery. According to ASAPS, patients ages 65+ underwent 760,000 procedures in 2011, a whopping 79% increase from 2001.
Considering those aging one-time toddlers are now closing in on the 65+ category, now is a good time to prepare for the next big boom.
Doctor Takeaway
Celebrate youth but respect your elders
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans ages 45 and up accounted for 34% of the nation’s population in 2000; 10 years later, they accounted for 39%. More youth-focused than their elders and more financially secure than their younger counterparts, they represent a valuable market for doctors who recognize that while they may no longer be young, they remain young at heart.
