Lately, I have had an influx of calls and emails from patients and potential patients in their early twenties. While this is not unusual for procedures like Breast Augmentation, I have seen a huge jump in other procedures as well. For instance, a male college-aged future attorney and one male wrapping up dental school for hair restoration, a 23 year old female emailing about laser treatments to correct scarring from teenage acne and even a young patient seeking out a lift from some significant weight loss in her late teens.
While Rhinoplasty as a high school graduation gift became popular in the early nineties (even as early as the seventies – just google Dr. Howard Diamond Nose), it was not quite as common as it is today. And the market is only growing. The largest, and most surprising, jump was patients in that college to career break. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, millennials aged 19-34 accounted for 17.6 percent of the total aesthetic procedures performed in 2016 with the most common procedures in the under thirty crowd being Breast Augmentation and Otoplasty (ear pinning surgery).
The procedure is usually paid for by Mom and Dad (or grandparents) as a gift. Typically, the issue at hand, whether it be breast size, acne scarring or hair loss, has been an ongoing topic of conversation and is something these parents have watched their child struggle with for years.
Modern day parents are quite supportive. They are educated, understand the competitive job market and have done their research to understand the low-risk, high-reward ratio in their adult children’s confidence.
The break between college and career is a big time in your life. You are presented with a whole new group of people and are about to embark on what will become your real, adult life. What better time to re-invent yourself. And if a cosmetic procedure can boost your confidence just a bit, why not?
As always, seek out the professional opinion of a board-certified plastic surgeon for any questions and concerns.
And congratulations, Graduate!
