( From BBC) It seems that the older we get as a society, the harder we are all trying to look youthful.
Cosmetic surgery and other anti-ageing procedures like Botox are booming.
Even at a very conservative estimate, Britons are spending £225m a year on such procedures, about half of which are concerned with trying to look younger.
According to the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors, 40,000 vials of Botox – enough to treat 150,000 patients – were sold in 2004, with the market growing by 30 to 40% a year.
“Cosmetic surgery is an epidemic today. It is exploding [and] the desire for youth, beauty and perfection shows no signs of slowing down,” says Wendy Lewis, a beauty consultant who works in both the UK and the US.
‘Youth rewarded’
Simon Withey of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons says all aspects of cosmetic surgery are becoming more popular, for various reasons – among them that people are feeling an intense social pressure to look younger.
“We get quite a lot of people who are in the media or very competitive jobs in the City, and they just feel as soon as they look a bit tired, that these younger guys and younger women are snapping at their heels, trying to chase them out of their jobs.
UK COSMETIC SURGERY MARKET
Worth at least £224.6m in 2003
Growing at about 9.4% a year
Of this, about 28% is non-surgical procedures such as Botox
Source: Keynote
The stigma of surgery
“There still is this feeling that youth and beauty is rewarded in some way in society, and I think it actually is.”
But is the situation going to change? Surely as the population ages further over coming decades, we are going to start accepting our looks, and seeing old as beautiful?
Angus McGrouther, Professor Of Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery at Manchester University and the UK’s first professor of plastic surgery, thinks that fundamental changes in society means the cosmetic surgery genie will never be put back in the bottle.
“The respect for the wisdom of ages has gone. What people have got to do is look competitive with other people in the marketplace.
THREE MOST POPULAR ANTI-AGEING OPERATIONS
1 Blepharoplasty (eyelid reduction)
2 Full facelifts
3 Brow lift
Source: BAAPS
“People will change their jobs several times in their lifetime, and move to a new local area when they retire.
“So to be accepted into all these new groups, judgements are made on appearance. All these pressures fit together.”
However, the number of people “having things done” to look younger remains small.
A recent survey by TGI, published by Keynote Research, found that only 7% of all women would even consider having a facelift, and 4% of men a hair transplant, while only 11% of women would consider having Botox, and 4% of men.
Tim Westall of marketing consultancy April Strategy thinks it is possible that society will start projecting a “more mature expression of beauty” as we get older – although it is more likely it will express contradictory attitudes to age.
Dual attitude
“There are two mindsets that operate, two attitudinal camps,” he says.
“One is about seeking physical perfection – ‘the L’Oreal woman’.
SOME NON-SURGICAL ANTI-AGEING TREATMENTS
Muscle-relaxing injections like Botox, to soften wrinkles
Microdermabrasion, which rubs off outer layer of skin to create fresher appearance
Wrinkle fillers including collagen, your own body fat or those containing hyaluronic acid such as Restylane, Perlane
Chemical peels – acids which remove the outer layer of skin, reducing fine wrinkles
Lasers, to stimulate skin collagen and reduce fine lines
‘Temporary facelifts’ arrive on High Street
“There’s another which is about beauty from within, about your radiance being the embodiment of your life and your spirit and your character – don’t over-adorn, and don’t mask.”
Robert Diamond of the Diametric marketing consultancy concurs that we will probably see contradictory images of beauty and maturity in future, as advertisers wake up to the potential value of the over-50s market.
“Expect the beauty industry to continue to focus on youth,” he says.
“But expect smart marketers to talk about ‘making the best of who you are’ rather than trying to make you become someone different.
“Take-up of cosmetic surgery falls after 45 – older women are more interested in looking good for their age than trying to look a different age,” he said.
Continuing innovation in techniques and products available also appear likely to have an impact, with procedures becoming ever more simple, cheap – and therefore appealing.
“Treatments have become less risky, easier, in many cases more affordable and accessible to everyone,” says Wendy Lewis.
“People are looking to start early, have smaller things done in bundles, and ease into the ageing process without necessarily looking like they have had work done.”
Positive trend?
Even if we do still see youth as the main indicator of beauty, and continue nipping, tucking, abrading and filling, is that necessarily a bad thing?
Professor McGrouther wonders if it may be a positive sign.
“If people are living longer, healthier, happier lives, and their concerns are being spread to things like controlling weight, exercise, smoking etc – if it’s making people happy at the end of the day, and it’s not harming anybody else, then that seems positive,” he said.
“In fact, I think some of the things we accepted in the past were probably wrong, that people should sit down in their carpet slippers when they reach a certain age.”
