As members of Generation Z, we’re witnessing a significant shift in the beauty and skincare world. Our generation, known for being tech-savvy and socially aware, is moving away from the dramatic makeovers favoured by millennial predecessors to more subtle, less invasive treatments. In typical Gen Z style, we’re not just following beauty trends; we’re redefining them, often focusing more on prevention than correction.
Understanding the Shift: Our Influence on Gen Z
We Zoomers are in the midst of a digital revolution reshaping our approach to beauty and aesthetics. Influencers and social media are not just platforms for sharing; they’ve become powerful tools that guide our choices in enhancing our natural features and taking proactive steps against ageing. This change in the aesthetic industry is more than a trend; it reflects our generation’s more profound commitment to health-conscious and informed decisions.
A study by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) highlights this shift, revealing that 72% of facial plastic surgeons observed an increase in cosmetic and skincare procedures among individuals under 30 in 2020. This data indicates a significant rise in our generation’s interest in aesthetic enhancements. We’re not just experimenting with beauty but embracing it with a keen understanding of its possibilities and implications. Our preferences are also evolving, with a marked inclination towards less invasive procedures. Data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) shows a steady increase in minimally invasive treatments among young adults, with over 15.9 million such procedures performed in the U.S. in 2019! Popular choices like Botox injections and dermal fillers reflect our generation’s desire for subtle yet effective enhancements.
Furthermore, a survey by the Dermatology Times indicates that we are way more proactive about skincare than previous generations, starting preventative routines earlier in life. This shift towards early and regular skincare shows a significant change in how we perceive beauty and self-care. We’re not waiting for signs of ageing to appear; we’re acting now to maintain our skin’s health and vitality throughout our lives.
This data paints a vivid picture of Gen Z’s profound impact on the aesthetics industry. We’re at the forefront of a cultural movement that values authenticity, health and informed choices. Our engagement with aesthetic treatments goes beyond surface-level changes, reflecting a deeper understanding and commitment to personal care and aesthetics. As Gen Z, we’re not just adapting to the existing beauty norms but actively and thoughtfully shaping them.
An In-Depth Look at Gen Z’s Favourite Treatments
As Gen Z has observed a growing interest in specific aesthetic treatments, let’s take a deeper dive into what these treatments are and why we’re likely to opt for them in the first place:
Skin Damage Treatments:
Gen Zers are increasingly aware of the long-term effects of environmental factors like sun damage on our skin’s health and appearance. To combat this, many are turning to innovative treatments that address existing damage and help prevent future signs of ageing. These innovative treatments include:
- High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): Gaining popularity for its non-surgical approach, treatments such as a HIFU facelift targets the deeper layers of the skin, stimulating collagen production. It’s effective for lifting and firming areas like the neck, chin and brow, offering a painless solution with zero downtime.
- Vitamin C and Retinol Skincare: Essential in the fight against sun damage, these ingredients are key in Gen Z skincare regimes. Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, neutralises free radicals, while retinol accelerates skin renewal and evens skin tone, addressing sun spots and signs of ageing.
- Chemical Peels: These treatments involve applying a chemical solution to the skin, causing it to exfoliate and eventually peel off. The new skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled, and more youthful-looking. Chemical peels are incredibly effective in treating sun damage, reducing age spots, freckles and hyperpigmentation.
- LED Light Therapy: Utilising varying wavelengths of light, this therapy helps repair sun damage, reduce inflammation, and improve skin tone and texture. It’s a non-invasive treatment that’s gaining traction among Gen Z for its ease of use and effectiveness in treating sun-damaged skin.
Prejuvenation:
Embracing a proactive approach towards skincare, Gen Z is opting for treatments that maintain youthful skin and prevent signs of ageing from an early age. The exact treatments we’re opting for are typically:
- HydraFacial: A multi-step treatment that combines cleansing, exfoliation, and hydration, a HydraFacial is designed to enhance your skin health and appearance. This treatment is favoured for its ability to improve skin texture, hydrate and provide a refreshed look, making it a go-to choice for regular skincare maintenance.
- Gentle Laser Therapies: These therapies use light energy to stimulate collagen production in the skin. Treatments like Fraxel are sought after for their effectiveness in improving skin texture, reducing pore size, and minimising fine lines and wrinkles. They also align so well with Gen Z’s preference for treatments that offer continual skin care and maintenance.
- Botox Preventative: This involves using Botox injections in smaller doses to prevent the formation of wrinkles rather than treating them after they’ve appeared.
- Collagen-Inducing Fillers: These fillers not only smooth out wrinkles but also help in stimulating the body’s natural collagen production, providing a dual benefit of immediate cosmetic improvement and long-term skin health.
Micro-Needling:
In pursuit of treatments that enhance skin health holistically, Gen Z is embracing micro-needling, a procedure that aligns with their preference for natural, minimally invasive solutions. The best and most popular treatments for this are:
- SQT Bio Micro-Needling: This procedure uses fine needles to create micro-punctures in the skin, triggering natural healing and collagen production. It reduces scars and fine lines and is versatile enough for various skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin, with minimal downtime.
- RF (Radiofrequency) Micro-Needling: This combines the benefits of traditional micro-needling with radiofrequency energy, which heats the underlying layers of the skin to stimulate collagen and elastin production, leading to tighter, smoother skin.
Each of these treatments aligns with our generation’s preference for health, efficiency and minimal invasiveness, reflecting our broader attitudes towards beauty, self-care and wellness.
The Influence of Social Media on Our Choices
The role of social media in this transformation is undeniable. According to the American Med Spa Association, 37% of Gen Zers report that social media heavily influences their decisions regarding aesthetic treatments. To add to it, more than half of us turn to these platforms for research on cosmetic procedures. This shows that social media plays a massive role in our decision-making, as well as illustrating how we use this vast reservoir of online information to make well-informed choices.
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are especially significant in shaping our perspective on aesthetic treatments. Influencers and peers sharing their experiences on these platforms have created an environment of transparency and education around these treatments. This almost “democratisation of aesthetic treatments” has made them so much more approachable and way less stigmatised. However, it also means it is more important than ever to adopt critical thinking and discernment when sifting through the vast content in order to actually find reliable information. (Don’t even get me started on Fake News, that’s a whole other article!)
The Next Cultural Movement?
While our engagement with fresh skincare treatments is more than a mere trend, it might be too soon to call it a cultural movement. However, I don’t think it’s an understatement to say we’re heading in that direction pretty rapidly, with the wider aesthetics industry already seeing a boom in Gen Z-related treatments. Our preference for natural enhancement and proactive skin health measures are setting new standards in the beauty and wellness sectors. Our influence is also reshaping societal views on beauty and self-care, promoting inclusivity and informed choices in the world of aesthetics more than ever before. By adapting and actively shaping beauty norms, we’re playing a crucial role in the evolution of aesthetic treatments.