Cosmetic Surgery for Older Patients
If your golden years are suddenly peeking over the horizon, you may be thinking about things that haven’t been much on your mind before—the health of your retirement account, whether you should downsize your living situation and cosmetic surgery.
Yes, New York residents who haven’t seen themselves as candidates for cosmetic surgery sometimes start to wonder about it as they approach their 50’s and 60’s. But where to start? Which procedures hold the most promise for older patients? Which might be the best investments?
If this line of thought feels familiar to you, perhaps we can assist. Here’s some information on cosmetic surgery for middle-aged people with a little help from statistics kept by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).
The Most Popular Cosmetic Surgery for Older Patients
We find that even our New York cosmetic surgery patients who don’t know much about the choices can guess which procedures middle-aged people flock to. For instance, nearly 90% of facelift surgery is performed on patients who are 51 and older. There’s a similar number for neck lifts—nearly 87% are done on those over the age of 50. No surprise there.
Eyelid surgery is another option for those who are starting to look their age: nearly three-quarters of the eyelid lifts done in the U.S. are done for those in their 50’s and above. In the hands of a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon, this is an option that can offer tremendous rejuvenation “bang for the buck.” So can brow lift surgery—where older patients make up 67% of the total.
Some New Choices
There are a few newer procedures that our New York cosmetic surgery patients find appealing. One is fat transfer to the face, which can plump up areas that tend to grow sunken and look hollow with age. The cheeks and tear troughs are leading targets. The ASAPS reports that nearly 70% of these less-invasive procedures are performed on people 51 and older.
Another group of middle-aged patients who seek our help is looking for breast implant removal. Some need to swap their implants for newer models, but many find they just don’t want to have implants any longer. Some note that society has gravitated toward a more natural look and large breasts don’t always look great on older women, especially when the skin has started to stretch.
A Few Surprises
Contained in the ASAPS statistics are a few surprises. We bet you couldn’t guess that older folks often choose liposuction, for instance. Men and women of middle age don’t dominate the percentages for this option, as it’s perennially number one or two in popularity for nearly all ages, ethnicities and genders. Just about 28% of those choosing liposuction have passed their 50th birthday, but the numbers themselves are a bit surprising. More than 85,000 liposuction patients in the U.S. in 2017 were 51 and older.
You might expect that upper arm lifts are most popular with older people. Though the numbers are small—just around 10,000 patients per year—more than half these surgeries are requested by people 51 and older. We were pleased and a little surprised that many other procedures that lift areas of the body (often following weight loss) are popular with older patients too. About 30% of both upper and lower body lifts are performed on people past their 50th birthday, and 38% of thigh lifts are done for this group of patients as well. This may mean that despite what the reality TV shows might suggest, older people are committing to weight loss as well as the younger set.
Next Steps
If you’re beginning to educate yourself about cosmetic surgery for older patients, here are a few other recommendations. Check out the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and make sure you understand the importance of certification by this organization. Then, visit the websites of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. These two groups, who only accept ABPS-certified doctors, offer a great deal of information on procedures you might find intriguing.
If you’re ready to talk about cosmetic surgery in New York, we would be happy to meet you! We’ve been helping residents of the Big Apple and those who travel to work with us for many years. It would be our pleasure to educate you and assist you in deciding on the right path. Call us at 212-570-6080.
