The Youth Lab

Happiness = Botox?

“People say I look so happy - and I say ‘That’s the botox.’ ” Dolly Parton

It’s 2023 - and thanks to advancements in the science of “aesthetics” we can all now tweak, smooth, plump and essentially redefine our external expression of “beauty” (in all its diverse and personalised forms). The term “aesthetics” (as is used here) loosely refers to the booming area of non-surgical cosmetic procedures including botox, fillers, PDO threads, microneedling and non-surgical rhinoplasty. This week’s 52INSIGHTS looks at The Great Aesthetic Intervention; the worldwide phenomenon where young people seek to alter, re-imagine or preserve their appearance. We explore the impact it’s having on youth culture, and what this means for brand behaviour.

THE BUSINESS OF AESTHETICS

“The increase in procedures like breast reductions indicate that people are being influenced by wellness and improving the quality of their lives.” AAPS Vice President Nora Nugent

“Cosmetic” surgery is viewed as elective surgical procedures to impact or alter someone’s appearance, whereby the growing category of “aesthetics” is a broader term encompassing non-surgical, surgical and emerging hybrid techniques. Motivations for aesthetic treatments vary, but are largely seen as a personal form of self care and self expression for Gen Z (like getting a tattoo.) This mindset may surprise and polarise more traditional opinions on identity expression, but there is no doubt that business is booming. There are about 6 million surgeries/treatments carried out globally every year, including cosmetic botox, a 700% increase in just the last 20 years. The global non-invasive aesthetic treatment market size was valued at $61.2 billion in 2022, with the botox market alone said to be worth $7.9 billion this year. The annual Global Survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery shows a 19.3% overall increase in procedures performed by plastic surgeons in 2021 with more than 12.8 million surgical, and 17.5 million non-surgical, procedures performed worldwide. Although there’s been a marked increase in (those identifying as) men availing of procedures, the audience who choose aesthetic procedures are overwhelmingly female - somewhere in the region of 85-92%.

THE ART OF TWEAKMENTS

Language has evolved over time, but the business of aesthetic alteration has been with us throughout history. For example, injectable products go all the way back to the 1890s when doctors attempted to fill out areas of the face by transplanting fat from the arms. The conversation went somewhat mainstream in the early 2000s when anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers became part of daily cosmetic and beauty vernacular. A short time-hop to today, and we see treatments like botox, fillers and tissue removals being accessible through high street clinics and private surgeons alike. They've been joined by an impressive list of other non-surgical procedures that can significantly change your visage without ever needing to go under anaesthetic.

“Taught from infancy that beauty is a woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison.” - Mary Wollstonecraft.

Jess Brennan, a social media personality who’s made no secret of her aesthetic journey, regales an incident when she was conversing with a male acquaintance who chose to question her reasons for opting for a very full-lipped look. The person in question was covered in tattoos, and when Brennan countered that her aesthetic decisions differed very little from his choice to liberally tattoo his skin, he replied, “But that’s art.” “Well this is my art”, replied Brennan. Her point? What we choose to do to craft our personal aesthetic is (to put it in its most stunningly simple terms) nobody else’s business!

THE BIG DEBATE: SOCIETAL PRESSURE VS FREEDOM TO BE YOU

62% of U.S.-based Gen Zs routinely use filters on social media. When something is recorded on social media and a filter applied, it prompts a deeper question; are we merely engaging in exploration of identity through tech-first playfulness or are we entering a slippery slope, reinforcing damaging cliches around limiting and exclusionary beauty standards?

"Whereas Millennials were curious and research-oriented and Gen X and older were more reticent and cautious, the Gen Z patients in my practice are forward-thinking and open—to experimentation, invasiveness, risk, and downtime." Dr. Lara Devgan, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City.

On average, each social media user spends almost 2 hours and 30 minutes across multiple social media platforms every single day. Aesthetic trends on these apps move faster than ever and the pressure to keep up with these trends is consistently affecting the perception of beauty standards. Now, with the rise of new AI Filters (and FaceTune apps) on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, it feels like everyone is starting to look the same and it can be so much harder to identify who or what is real.

The rate and rise of aesthetic procedures is also thought to be (in part) down to the so-called pandemic “Zoom Boom.” Post-Covid there has been a 70% increase in requests for cosmetic surgery consultations, or so-called “tweakments” (note: a tweakment refers to a primarily non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment that can enhance your “look” in a very subtle and natural way).

Traditional forms of media and some celebrities support the familiarity and prevalence of cosmetic procedures - making them feel more readily available to younger audiences too. This also feeds into insecurities. Kylie Jenner, for example, was initially quiet about her choice to have lip fillers, before ultimately admitting it was a choice made to address a long-term insecurity.

BRAND TAKEOUTS

Self expression is a powerful cultural driver: We’re living in a time where visiting your hair stylist, tattoo artist or 'face person' is a means of real and powerful self-expression. Read more about the phenomenon of aesthetic interventions in the latest edition of our online magazine YOUTH and from Gen Z themselves in this article.

Embrace cultural shifts without judgement: It’s clear that Gen Z has ushered in a cultural shift; embracing cosmetic procedures with honesty and pride and not the shame and secrecy of past generations. This has helped breed a new, widespread culture of openness surrounding cosmetic procedures. From a brand perspective, there is opportunity to wholeheartedly embrace this honest view in comms - real imagery, less photoshop and less ‘idealised’ visions of life are far more powerful in the world of the youth audience.

Brands that embrace diverse expression win with youth: Successful brands are embracing a more diverse approach to beauty overall, with many more campaigns and activations emerging in recent years promoting beauty in all its different and diverse forms - a good example being the ongoing platform for Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ campaign. Online fashion brand ASOS is another example who actively promotes a more normalised view of beauty by not photoshopping product imagery - and is embracing a more inclusive standard of beauty, showing models with hearing aids for the first time.