The 7 Biggest Plastic Surgery Trends of 2022 | Plastic Surgeons Predict the Most Popular Procedures
“I do think that there are enough people with ill-fitting masks that have really pulled their ears out and away from their head,” he says, adding that now they’ve noticed leading to a rise in adult ear-pinning.
In Silicon Valley and on Capitol Hill, More Men Are Joining In
As plastic surgery continues to evolve into a less stigmatized category, responsibly-reported news coverage has increased and whispered conversations about “having work done” are now discussed out loud and on social media for all to see. “What I think is interesting is there is a heightened awareness of plastic surgery,” says Dr. Pittman. “My experience is that whenever you have an increased awareness and whenever there is a lot in the media about plastic surgery in general, that’s when you start drawing in men.”
Gynecomastia correction, the reduction of breast tissue in males, has become increasingly popular according to New York City-based double-board certified plastic surgeon Adam Kolker, M.D. In fact, all five plastic surgeons noted a significant increase in gynecomastia procedures at their practices, especially Dr. Sieber, who says it’s been “a 100 percent total uptick, and a surprising one, too.”
But in 2022, perhaps gynecomastia surgeries won’t be so surprising anymore, at least not to Dr. Pittman. “I think we’re going to end up seeing more male consumers of plastic surgery,” he says, adding that everyone just wants to look and feel great. “It’s still a little bit more stigmatizing for men now, but as we continue to talk about it, it validates their need or want for surgery, and we’ll see a surge.”
And in cities with a young, competitive workforce like the Silicon Valley tech community close to Dr. Sieber’s practice, more men are seeking plastic surgery to look younger out of a fear of ageism. “There’s a desire for men who are just a little bit older to look younger, because those in their 40s and 50s are competing with younger men,” says Dr. Sieber. “In tech, the fear is that you’ll ‘age out,’ and so you have to keep up with the kids who come to work in hoodies.”
In Dr. Pittman’s Washington, D.C.,-area practice, the opposite is true: patients are wanting to look more serious in a bid to conceal facial expressions that could reveal their thoughts. “Everyone’s a lawyer in D.C., and I have so many male patients who get Botox treatments because they want to have a little bit more of a poker face in court,” he says, while his lobbyist patients tend to want a “‘never let them see you sweat’ type of look and mentality.”
Procedure Multitasking
All plastic surgery should be personalized to each patient’s specific goals, but a standout trend now is an ultra-customized surgery comprised of multiple smaller procedures so that a total rejuvenation can be accomplished in one fell swoop.