Cosmetic surgery has ballooned in popularity with social media condensing lives to smiling, beautiful photos. Usually, cosmetic surgeries were needed to address physical issues that affected someone’s life; now they are trends, flaunted by celebrities and influencers who take pride in their altered appearance or regular people who follow the latest beauty demands as part of a so-called beauty movement on social media.
The latest ISAPS Global Survey revealed that approximately 40 million aesthetic procedures were conducted worldwide in 2024, showing a substantial hike in cosmetic treatments, with surgical and non-surgical procedures rising by 40% from 2020 to 2024.
The popularity of eyelid surgery, liposuction, and facial contouring has spiked, with trends like the cat eyes starting out in Korea before reaching global appeal. These cosmetic procedure trends encompass all parts of the body, and sometimes serve a dual purpose. For example, the ‘Barbie Tox’ trend is where botox is injected into the trapezius muscle, located in the point between the upper back and neck region. This treatment has both therapeutic, and aesthetic purposes to give clients a slender neck, and defined shoulders, or alternatively, treat conditions such as chronic neck pain or tension headaches.
Cosmetic Treatment Consequences
Today’s youth face overwhelming pressure from social media and a society that prioritizes appearance to join the latest cosmetic fads for peer approval. This has compelled many to seek cosmetic treatments, only for some to suffer terrible consequences due to surgeries gone wrong. However, despite the news reports, youngsters would rather take risks than suffer from anxiety, depression, and poor self-esteem, instilled by negative comments on social media from strangers or from their peers. These issues impact men as well. Aesthetic clinics and plastic surgeons have been frequented by male clients for invasive procedures like abdominal etching, face lifts, and breast reductions, while non-invasive treatments like Botox, skin lasers, and fillers are equally in demand.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reveals a distinct rise in face and neck lifts by 26% among UK men from 2024 to 2025.
It appears that cosmetic surgery is sought after across many demographics, who imagine their confidence would be fixed under a scalpel, despite the talked about risks. There is still no way to judge how detrimental the impact will be to their physical, and mental health
