Call it the Kardashian Effect; call it Selfie Mania. Whatever you call it, younger people are seeking out cosmetic enhancements in droves. On the one hand, rhinoplasties and breast augmentations may be completely legit; on the other, Botox, fillers and surgery can become an obsession — and according to Dr. Davis, Millennials sometimes need their doctor to be the voice of reason lest they take it too far.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there was a 64% increase last year for noninvasive procedures in patients under the age of 30. And 82% of the time, doctors report that patients are coming in because of celebrity influence from tv and reality tv.
Surprised? Neither are we. If you watch reality tv, as soon as the subject matter of how to look “relevant” comes up, so too does cosmetic surgery, Dr. Davis explained during his recent guest appearance on SiriusXM’s Wake Up With Taylor Show.
While the idea of celebrity influence is nothing new, the issue, as Dr. Davis told listeners, is that while Millennials like the idea of having a cosmetic treatment or procedure, they don’t necessarily have it all thought through. And that’s where a good plastic surgeon comes in with the ability to council patients and ensure that they have realistic expectations.
Dr. Davis believes in using “enhancements” for good, and encouraging the use of cosmetic surgery in the right way. And simply following a fad isn’t always the best course.
Overall, however, Dr. Davis pointed out that people are learning that if they selectively choose to make improvements, they’re create opportunities in their lives to become better, whether it’s for purely personal reasons or, for example, projecting a more confident image at work.
“Everything’s about self image,” Dr Davis told listeners. “Even if you’re not the most attractive person in the world, if you think that you are… you can open up the gates to everything.”
“It’s not becoming someone you aren’t,” he says. “It’s about being your best.”