Four out of 10 Spaniards have undergone some aesthetic medicine treatment and the rate, which has been growing for some time, will increase in the coming years. These are the trends that are handled in aesthetic medicine congresses. “What is being talked about is that in the future there will be no face without pricking,” explains dermatologist Ana Molina, author of Healthy skin, beautiful skin. “What has happened with dentistry and braces or whitening is moving to the skin,” she adds. A recent analysis by the consulting firm McKinsey estimates the growth of the injectable market (botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid…) at 12% per year for the next five years.
These refillables are the most demanded treatments, which in turn are increasingly requested by a wider range of people. “It is true that years ago there was not so much demand for treatment in very young girls, age has dropped, but there are also more and more older people. The fork has been extended because people want to look good, “says Ruth García, aesthetic doctor and member of the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SEME).
An important part of this growth, however, is an increasingly younger audience. “Yes, it is increasing, now lip fillers are the new tattoo that girls want when they turn 18”, explains Molina, “however, dermatologists are concerned about this because starting with these fillers is not the best idea. We believe that we must first see how to treat the quality of the skin, with peelings and other treatments aimed, for example, at improving the lighting of the face».
The influence of the pandemic
Although the end of the pandemic has driven the growing trend towards aesthetic treatments, the truth is that specialists have already noticed the growth during the months of the pandemic. “We already noticed the boom in treatments during the summer of 2020. People had an important need to take care of themselves, to look good, to feel comfortable with their physique,” says plastic surgeon Iván Mañero.
Those months had already begun to produce the so-called “Zoom effect”, in relation to the name of one of the most used applications in teleworking. “People saw themselves in meetings with different lighting, on the computer screen, suddenly they saw something that they did not believe was like that,” says Sergio Fernández, vice president of SEME.
Another factor that influenced that boom is that people could have surgery without having to explain. “During the pandemic we already saw an increase in surgeries because people did well to have surgery while at home and because with the mask they could hide the inflammation that could occur. This meant that the demand was maintained and also constant during all the months of the year, “says Nélida Grande, plastic surgeon and vice president of Aesthetic Surgery of the Spanish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (SECPRE).
star treatments
During those months, these specialists affirm that they mainly carried out treatments in the eye and perioral area, in the nose, lips and around the mouth. “Now we are also noticing an increase in interest in the quality of the skin, people see dullness, spots and want to improve it,” says Ruth García.
Mañero assures that «botox and hyaluronic acid are still the kings in aesthetic medicine. Hyaluronic acid is very versatile and allows from the filling of wrinkles to the deep hydration of the skin, from lip augmentation to easy bioremodulation or the elimination of dark circles under the eyes. As for Botox, the continued use of the mask has caused many people to focus on the forehead and eye area.
The dermatologist and surgeon Natividad Cano, for her part, affirms that “the most demanded treatments are those for healthy skin, followed by lip hydration and facial harmonization to improve the appearance of tired skin. In surgery, the most demanded is the upper blepharoplasty, where the excess skin of the upper eyelids is removed, followed by the lip lift».
As for men, Molina stresses that what is most in demand today is hair transplantation, behind which is “facial masculinization, putting on a more pronounced chin. Many people already say that the jaw is the new bar of chocolate.
The advantages and dangers of social networks
The increase in demand undoubtedly has to do with social networks. This has had a positive side in the opinion of the vice president of SEME. “It has generated a lot of information that has brought aesthetic medicine closer to more people, who know what treatments we do and that they are affordable,” he explains.
However, that information sometimes does not come from the right source and can have a negative effect. In 2020 a study of the American Journal of Dermatology He stated that only 4% of the accounts that talk about dermatological issues on social networks are dermatologists. “We need ‘influence’. It is dangerous to have so many lifestyle influencers promoting health issues without control, “says Molina.
As a consequence, the highlighted specialists agree on the increase in dysmorphia. A disorder in which the self-perception of the body is altered and defects are seen in an exaggerated way. “People compare themselves to images that are not real and there are people who are losing perspective. On instagram we continually see photos of human beings that do not exist, people compare themselves to them and they do not exist, they are a filter”, says Ruth García.
Concern about the “aesthetic footprint”
In the context of the possible abuse of aesthetic medicine, specialists are beginning to talk about another concept, that of the «aesthetic footprint». “When fillers that are resorbable by the skin itself, such as hyaluronic acid, became popular, it was thought that there would no longer be marks or traces in the long term, but now it is being seen that there is. Because sometimes these fillers last longer than they should or a phenomenon of facial alienation occurs, young people who look like aliens because they inject treatments they don’t need, sometimes following influencers, exaggerating their facial features too much, “says Molina.
In relation to this, the prestigious American dermatologist Steve Harris recently wrote in the American Journal of Dermatology. “Alienization is the distortion of normal anatomy beyond what would be considered a normal range for the individual, tending to appear alien.” He places the range of this phenomenon between 8 and 15% of the population. «A percentage that could be even higher in specialists in aesthetic medicine. That’s why they say, if your doctor looks like an alien, run away!” says Molina, author of Healthy skin, beautiful skin.
The intrusion problem
Specialists argue that aesthetic medicine cannot be à la carte. “It is very important that people know that they must put themselves in qualified hands. Before doing a procedure on a patient, you have to make a diagnosis, find out what history he has, pathologies, if he has anything on. Make a medical history, “says Ruth García. “A face can’t stand anything. An evaluation is necessary, you cannot buy a treatment for grouponMolina points out.
Nélida Grande agrees on the importance of these controls. “Before considering an intervention, the first thing is to make an appointment with a plastic surgeon. Check that the professional is registered, that the clinic is approved. And that a link is established between both parties, doctor-patient trust is key in this specialty ».
The increase in aesthetic treatments, unrelated to abuse, is linked to “improved health, which includes physical, mental and social well-being. Aesthetic medicine is part of that”, indicates Ruth García. “Medicine has come a long way and they also have preventive effects that make the skin age better,” adds Molina, who believes that “you have to think about health because it is beauty.”