Plastic surgery trends evolve over time. What people want to look like and what they want to do to get that look changes as new procedures become available and as new celebrities model the latest styles and looks. Once upon a time, large breasts were the in-demand look, for example. But as more and more celebrities had their implants removed or downsized, the demand for larger implants waned.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest plastic surgery trends for the year and just what’s driving the popularity of these trends.
Lip Injections
Fuller lips continue to be all the rage in 2016. The celebrity leading the craze for fuller, plumper lips is Kylie Jenner. The younger sister of the Kardashians kicked off the trend by appearing with a decidedly plumper pout on the family’s reality TV show.
Her lips sparked hundreds of DIY lip gloss tutorials and lots of potentially dangerous tips on social media. Although she does now have a “lip kit” containing lip gloss and lip liner, as well as step-by-step guide to creating your own plump pout, the star also admitted to getting lip injections.
Even before she admitted to the fillers, the demand for injections was up in 2015 and into 2016. RealSelf reported that facial plastic surgeons saw a 43% uptick in requests for lip injections last year.
The trend continues today, thanks in part to new injectables specifically FDA-approved for use in the lip area. While before surgeons would use either Juvederm or Restylane to add volume to the lips, today there’s Restylane Silk. Silk is made from tiny hyaluronic acid particles, so that it’s smoother and softer than other formulations. Its specific formulation makes its ideal for use in the lips and in other delicate areas of the face.
Breast Reduction
Breast augmentation remains one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed today. But women’s expectations for breast augmentation have changed. The demand for extra-large breasts has been left back in the 1990’s. Today, many women are seeking a slight enhancement. They don’t exactly want to look like Pamela Anderson at the height of her popularity on “Baywatch.”
Although breast augmentation remains a popular option, breast reduction has also seen an uptick in demand. While you used to hear about celebrities who got implants, these days you’re more likely to hear about a celebrity who had a breast reduction. Case in point: there was a lot of buzz around the decision of 17-year-old Ariel Winter (an actor on the sitcom “Modern Family”) to have a breast reduction.
Another thing that’s driving the breast reduction or more modest breast augmentation trend is celebrities who aren’t exactly well-endowed themselves. For the most part, some of today’s more popular actors and celebrities also happen to be smaller chested, such as Kate Hudson and Gwen Stefani.
More and more women are interested in developing a lean, athletic body these days. While you certainly can work out and exercise with a larger chest, any naturally large breasted woman will tell you that going for a run with the “girls” often requires a super supportive sports bra, if not two. As women become more interested in the gym and elite exercise classes, the interest in getting large implants is going to continue to wane.
Butt Lifts
One of the biggest plastic surgery trends of 2016 is the demand for butt lifts. Sir Mixalot would be proud. While larger breasts might be out, larger butts are definitely in.
A number of celebrities are behind the trend, including Nikki Minaj, Kim Kardashian and Iggy Azalea. A few Instagram fitness stars have also caused butt envy in numerous women. And so, over the past 15 years or so, the number of butt lift procedures performed has increased by more than 250%.
The butt lift is actually a two-part procedure. Although butt implants are an option, many surgeons prefer to use a patient’s own fat, for a number of reasons. Your own fat looks more natural and there’s less of a risk for complications. Part one of the butt lift involves liposuctioning the fat from another area of the body. The fat is then cleaned and sterilized before it is injected into your backside.
Chin and Neck Improvement
The neck and chin used to be some of the most neglected parts of the body. People just assumed they couldn’t do anything to get rid of a double chin, short of surgery. Many forget to use lotion or care for their neck the way they do their face.
The release of two new treatments for a double chin in 2015 led to an uptick in interest in improving the appearance of the chin and neck area. According to RealSelf, nearly 70% of surgeons surveyed expect to see an increase in patients coming in for chin or neck treatments in 2016.
What are these treatments that make a double chin a thing of the past? One is Kybella, an injectable. The active ingredient in Kybella is naturally produced in the body and naturally helps to dissolve fat. When it’s injected beneath the chin by a trained surgeon, the injectable helps to reduce the size and appearance of a double chin. How many injections a patient needs depends on the size of the double chin. Some patients need up to 50 injections per session and up to six sessions.
Coolsculpting, the fat freezing treatment, introduced the Cool Mini recently. The device is specifically designed to be used under the chin. Like the full-sized Coolsculpting machine, it works by freezing away the fat under the chin. The body then flushes away the destroyed fat cells, leaving a slimmer neck and chin area.
About Dr. Rubinstein
Dr. Ran Y. Rubinstein, a board certified plastic surgeon, offers patients a number of the most popular plastic surgery procedures at his practice in Manhattan, and many more. Along with the top plastic surgery trends, Dr. Rubinstein performs procedure ranging from facelift to rhinoplasty, at Laser & Cosmetic Surgery Specialists, PC in Newburgh, New York. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Rubinstein, call 845-863-1772 today.
