An article shared recently by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery discusses a new consumer trend: couples undergoing plastic surgery together. The article stated there has been a 30% jump in this trend over the last few years.
More and more married couples are coming into my practice for consultation and planning to each have some “rejuvenative” cosmetic surgical procedures, either the same day or more commonly, around the same time as each other. Ages range from the 50’s to the late 70’s to even early 80’s in very active, healthy-lifestyle patients. Men have “accepted” the idea of having cosmetic surgery to assist them in looking fresher, somewhat more youthful and energetic. They (and sometimes both husband and wife) are often still working until later years and want to continue to be viewed as equally competent and energetic as their younger co-workers or competition.
Husbands and wives either working or who are retired and even more active with their social lives and traveling, want to “take time out” at the same time so as to minimize the “downtime” of their busy lives! They accept and encourage each other in a supporting and loving way with mutual understanding of each one’s desires and goals. They usually plan their surgeries to help each other with the immediate post-operative care, and then switch roles within a couple of weeks when the other spouse has their surgery.
Sometimes the couple has family members who are willing to help them post-operatively, and they have surgery the same day or within a day or so of each other. They may even choose to hire nursing help so they can recover and heal at the same time at home together. Additionally, because this generation of healthy, active couples are keeping themselves fit, working out and eating well, they want to continue to look as young as they feel “inside and out”!
They also often have grandchildren they love taking care of and want to look less tired and be more “youthful” around them. It corresponds to the trend that they choose “alternative” names for their grandchildren to call them – other than “grandma” or “grandpa”.
Couples are both doing neck/facelifts, as well as eyelid cosmetic surgery and improving their sagging brows. They don’t want to look angry, mad, sad or “grumpy” due to the normal effects of facial aging. The men don’t want to have their grandchildren “playing with their neck wattle”. And, the women don’t want their grandchildren to ask why they have so many wrinkles on their face.