For our parent’s generation, hitting 50 could be the start of an inevitable decline into middle age, a time to slow down and maybe accept that your best years were behind you. But modern day 50-somethings have a different attitude towards getting older.
Life after 50
With, potentially, many more decades ahead of them, the over 50s are eating more healthily, keeping active for longer and taking greater care over their appearance.
It should come as no surprise to discover, therefore, that cosmetic surgery for the over 50s has enjoyed something of a boost in recent years. Insurance company Sun Life conducted a survey as part of its Welcome to Life After 50 campaign. More than 50,000 people took part and the results are a fascinating snapshot into the lives of modern-day middle-agers.
Six out of 10 respondents claimed to be enjoying the best time of their life and 80% said that growing older means they no longer worry about what other people think of them.
Far from being a negative milestone, turning 50 appears to be, for many, the opportunity to make some positive changes.
People taking part in the survey spoke about making healthier lifestyle choices, such as:
- cutting back on drinking alcohol
- eating a more healthy balanced diet, and
- giving up smoking
Looking and feeling the best
As cosmetic surgeons, we see the increase in demand for cosmetic surgery in the over 50s as being entirely consistent with this new mood of optimism and self-empowerment.
With fewer childcare commitments, greater career freedom and in many cases more disposable income, 50-somethings are frequently investing on looking and feeling the best they can.
Popular cosmetic procedures in 2018
Among the most popular procedures are tummy tucks and facelifts. Tummy tucks (also called abdominoplasty surgery) tighten loose skin and stretched muscle tissue around the tummy to produce a shapelier waistline.
They are particularly effective if you have a lot of loose skin around your tummy after weight loss or pregnancy. Some people like to combine them with liposuction, which removes stubborn areas of fat that exercise alone cannot shift.
Facelifts reshape the lower half of the face by removing excess facial skin and fat under the chin, tightening the jawline and removing deep creases around the mouth and nose. The result is a more youthful, fresher appearance that can provide a boost to confidence.
Trends in cosmetic surgery
Other growing trends in cosmetic and plastic surgery include:
- Breast enhancements including breast augmentation and breast lifts
- Rhinoplasty – reshaping the nose
- Buttock lifts and butt implants
- Eyelid surgery
- Breast reduction
There is a move away from the more obvious cosmetically-enhanced look towards more discreet, natural-looking improvements. With Botox® and liposuction, for example, many people are choosing lower dose Botox® and mini-liposuction, targeting smaller areas and going for less dramatic results.
Butt implants, while still popular, are also erring towards a more natural look and some women are opting for micro-needling to enhance their cleavage. This procedure, which involves repeatedly puncturing the skin with tiny, sterile needles, is designed to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. This firms the skin to give a more youthful appearance and also raises nipple projection by a few millimetres.
Whether you are 55 or 25, cosmetic surgery can help to maximise your natural assets and minimise those areas that cause you to feel self-conscious or embarrassed. It can be a great gift to yourself, whatever your time of life.
The gift of a cosmetic consultation in 2019
A consultation is the first step to finding out if cosmetic surgery is right for you.
Mr Alok Misra spends time with every patient to explain the benefits, risks and potential outcome, providing you with all the information so as to enable you to make an informed decision.
Our fee for an initial consultation will not exceed £210 and our fee for any follow-up consultation will not exceed £140. You can read more about our Fees here.
“It didn’t take long after meeting Mr Misra, that I decided he was the right man for me. He immediately put me at ease and made me feel comfortable and took me through how the procedure would work, the potential risks involved and most of all how the end results would look. I soon made a follow up appointment and decided on a date for the surgery.” JR , Rhinoplasty
To book a consultation at one of our various locations, please contact the team.
