A Newfound Desire for Natural Results — The Cosmetic Surgery Trends in SA
The demand for plastic surgery increased around the world during the coronavirus pandemic, and South Africa was no exception. With the pandemic having influenced many to go under the knife, however, the outcome that many are after today rather focuses on a desire for natural results, highlighting just how much the industry has changed over the years. From the popular procedures that many are having today to the evolution and return of other cosmetic trends, here are just three ways that the industry has transformed.
A focus on natural-looking results
Regarding the trends of today, leading plastic surgeon Dr. Nerina Wilkinson points out that most South Africans are looking for natural enhancements rather than celeb-style makeovers. “Most of the patients I see are people who just want to be the better versions of themselves. They don’t want to look different, just to slightly enhance the features they have,” explained Dr. Wilkinson. While most younger clients who feel that their breasts are too big or small want breast work done, the ‘mommy makeover’ is popular among those who simply want to get the bodies they had before childbirth. Regarding facial work, Dr. Wilkinson notes that “there is a bit of a crossover, with some younger patients wanting to do their lips and cheeks, while older patients aim to address sagging, particularly to lift their eyelids as the eyes start looking tired and the eyelids start to droop.”
The evolution of facial enhancements
With more people wanting plastic surgery to enhance their natural features, plasticsurgery.org explains that a focus on ethnicity is becoming a major trend, with many people taking pride in their ethnic facial features. The site points out that while rhinoplasties were once a trend among those who wanted to achieve a “small, cute, turned-up nose,” social media trends that celebrated noses from different ethnicities are erasing insecurities that many may have once had about their own facial features. According to the site, the focus of rhinoplasty is moving towards fixing asymmetry, a crooked nose, etc. — all while maintaining an individual’s ethnic identity.
The return of the facelift
Facelifts are also trending, with celebrities like fashion designer icon Marc Jacobs taking to Instagram after having the procedure in 2021 to share a selfie of the bandages. Facelift results have gotten better and more natural, says Andrew Jacono of the New York Center for Facial Plastic Surgery and Jacobs’s surgeon, who said “Marc made people realise that you can have a face-lift and still emerge looking like yourself.” Facelifts are also gaining traction following the pandemic, with the ‘Zoom Boom’ leaving many with insecurities. While older facelift techniques resulted in an unnatural pulled look (as they lifted the skin only), today’s techniques focus on the deeper underlying layers beneath the skin. Regarding the popularity of the procedure today, facelift specialists in San Francisco say that while a facelift can be performed alone, many patients in the area are choosing to combine it with other procedures — such as upper and lower eyelid lift, forehead lift, chin implant or rhinoplasty at the same time.
Demand for cosmetic surgery soared during the pandemic. though rather than wanting a major celebrity-style makeover, the preference of many lies with achieving natural results that enhance the body’s natural appearance rather than completely change it.