Face Facts: Top Plastic Surgery Trends for 2019

Facial plastic surgeons have taken out their crystal balls to share a glimpse of what we will see more, or less, of in the coming year when it comes to cosmetic surgery.
 
Gone (but not completely forgotten) are requests for highly sculpted noses, plumped-out puckers and frozen faces; today’s procedures create natural-looking results that are designed to create more of a best version of oneself. This shift in thinking should lead to an even greater uptick in the number of men and women seeking cosmetic enhancements, say industry stakeholders, including doctors who are part of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).
 
“The desire to look better, but natural, is not new. In fact, most patients fear the stretched or windblown look as well as the overdone, un-natural looking nose. Overdone Hollywood celebrities do more to create fear of surgery. The biggest challenge for well-trained facial plastic surgeons is to help patients understand that they can have improvements, while looking totally normal, just better,” noted Phillip R. Langsdon, MD, Memphis facial plastic surgeon and President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).
 
“The pendulum is swinging back to a more natural look,” added Nashville facial plastic surgeon Mary Lynn Moran, MD, the president-Elect of the AAFPRS. “We will see less overfilling of cheeks and lips in the coming year.”
 
Look for microneedling with platelet rich plasma (PRP), microblading and micro- and baby Botox to gain momentum in the coming year.
 
Microneedling uses a special roller or device with needles toc reate tiny channels in the skin to trigger its natural wound healing capabilities, namely the production of collagen and elastin, the building blocks of supple, youthful skin. PRP injections jump-start this healing response. Microblading is the new go-to for over-plucked or waxed eyebrows. It’s a type of tattooing where pigment is implanted under the skin with a manual handheld tool. Micro-Botox involves injecting small amounts of neuromodulator within the upper layers of the skin to enhance tone, smooth wrinkles and reduce the size of pores.
 
And, as expected, AAFPRS experts contend social media, selfie-awareness and ‘snapchat dysmorphia’ to continue to fuel consultations and requests for facial plastic procedures in the coming year.
 
In 2017, 55% of facial plastic surgeons noted having seen patients expressing a desire to look better in selfies.