Types of Cosmetic Procedures Requested by Different Types of Patients and the Reasons for These Preferences

Same But Different: An 18-Month Cross-Sectional Study of Cosmetic Procedures in Patients With Skin Phototype I-III Versus IV-VI in Toronto, Canada

BACKGROUND

Patients with darker skin phototypes self-report less facial aging than their lighter-skinned counterparts. However, the association of skin phototype with the type of cosmetic procedures received, is yet to be established in a Canadian context.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the pattern of nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed on people with different Fitzpatrick SPTs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study of patient encounters from October 2020-April 2022. Charts and photographs were reviewed and analyzed for age, sex, SPT, and procedure type. Participants were stratified by SPT into 2 cohorts: SPT I-III and SPT IV-VI. SPTs were collapsed into groups based on definitions of "skin of color" (SPT IV-VI) in previous literature.

RESULTS

We analyzed 350 patients with mean age 43.4, of whom 320 (91%) were female and 30 (9%) were male. The SPT I-III cohort was older (mean age 45 vs 38.5 years, p < .0001) and more frequently underwent neuromodulator injection. The SPT IV-VI cohort more frequently underwent microneedling, platelet-rich plasma, or electrodessication.

CONCLUSION

There are distinct patterns of cosmetic procedures performed. The SPT I-III cohort more commonly received procedures to manage facial aging. The SPT IV-VI cohort was younger and more commonly underwent procedures to manage hyperpigmentation.

Retouched or Unaltered? That is the Question. Body Image and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery in Young Female Instagram Users

BACKGROUND

Viewing Instagram altered images of attractive women has negative effects on women's body image. This study examined the effects of exposure to a 'before' and 'after' retouched image, in combination with a disclaimer, on female Instagram users' thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery.

METHODS

An experimental design with a control group without pretesting was adopted. Participants (N = 105) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group 1 was exposed to a replica of an Instagram post with an enhanced image of a woman; Group 2 was shown the same enhanced image and the original one in combination with a disclaimer that the enhanced image had been digitally edited; Group 3 (the control) was exposed to a neutral image.

RESULTS

The MANOVA showed that participants in Group 2 reported lower levels of thin-ideal internalization and acceptance of cosmetic surgery for social reasons compared to those in Group 1. Contrary to our hypothesis, the degree of body dissatisfaction was not significantly different among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study could be promising for the development of brief interventions aimed at reducing the negative effects of Instagram exposure on young women's body image.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Why different types of patients seek cosmetic treatments

The extent to which demographics drive patients to pursue minimally invasive cosmetic procedures is not well-understood. The aim of this project was to better understand how patient demographics impact motivations for cosmetic procedures, irrespective of the procedure desired. Patient-level information from the Cosmetic Motivation Database was evaluated using linear regression analyses to determine whether geographic region, age, gender, race, and education independently influence patients to pursue any cosmetic treatment or consultation. Patients in the Midwest reported fewer motivations related to cosmetic appearance, mental/emotional health, physical health, social life, and school/work success than those in the South. Patients younger than 45 years reported more mental/emotional health and cost/convenience motives compared to older patients. Men noted fewer motives related to cosmetic appearance, mental/emotional health, and cost/convenience but more related to school/work success. Non-White patients reported more cost/convenience motives. Participants with up to a high school diploma cited more mental/emotional health, physical health, social life, and school/work success motivations than those with post-bachelor's education. College graduates cited more school/work success motives than those with graduate-level education. In summary, patient's gender, education, age, location, and race affect why they seek cosmetic treatments. Future research may study younger and less educated patients to improve their access to treatment.

Cosmetic Injectable Treatments Improve Quality of Life in Patients With Multiple Serious Medical Comorbidities

Full facial rejuvenation with multi-modal cosmetic treatments can improve quality of life, leading to improvement in confidence and psychological function. These combination treatments are frequently administered at the same or sequential sessions and include neuromodulators and fillers. In patients with significant recent weight loss and other medical comorbidities, these treatments can help restore self-confidence and provide the encouragement they need to continue treatment for their comorbidities. We present a case report of a 71-year-old woman who experienced significant weight loss of 40 lbs (33% body weight) during the course of treatment of multiple medical comorbidities, including surgical intervention for compression fractures. Due to her facial appearance caused by this excessive weight loss, she experienced poor self-esteem as measured by the FACE-Q scales. She was treated cosmetically with 21cc of hyperdilute calcium hydroxyapatite (diluted in a 1:3 ratio; 7cc of calcium hydroxyapatite total) and neuromodulators to replace lost facial volume over three visits. At three months after her last treatment, her FACE-Q scores improved two-and-a-half-fold and fivefold on the psychological function and aging appraisal, respectively. Cosmetic treatments can dramatically improve the quality of life in patients with multiple medical co-morbidities. This population of patients is often excluded from clinical trials or other studies, representing a population for which we have little data on the efficacy of cosmetic treatments.

Growing a cosmetic practice with devices and injectables in dermatology

Growing a cosmetic dermatology practice is an often complex and arduous task. Many factors must be considered to build and maintain a successful clinical practice. Devices and injectables are both integral components to operating a comprehensive cosmetic dermatology practice. Aesthetic physicians seeking to grow their cosmetic practice in these areas must be aware of the numerous considerations-both more obvious and more subtle-that play a role in the decision-making process, including the local market, patient demand, clinic space, and physician experience and training. This contribution is focused on the factors that should be carefully considered when one is looking to grow a cosmetic dermatology practice with devices and injectables.

Motivations for Seeking Cosmetic Enhancing Procedures of the Face: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Cosmetic enhancing procedures continue to grow in demand. Physicians should understand the complex factors that drive patient motivation for seeking such procedures.

OBJECTIVE

In contrast to a lens of psychopathology, this review reveals the driving power of everyday intrapersonal, social, and behavioral factors that motivate interest in elective facial cosmetic procedures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and included studies with at least 50 adult patients seeking facial cosmetic enhancements between January 1, 2000, and July 1, 2022.

RESULTS

Among 1,239 identified publications, 21 studies with 9,005 participants were selected for inclusion. The review documents everyday factors as patient motivators for pursuing cosmetic enhancements of the face, with the majority of work focusing on intrapersonal factors (17 of 21 studies), such as preventing aging or negative appearance based self-appraisals. For studies reporting social factors (15 of 21 studies), the most common motivators were the patient's social network and a desire to promote social standing. Behavioral factors revealed that social media and media consumption impact patient motivation for cosmetic enhancements (5 of 21 studies).

CONCLUSION

In summary, this review demonstrates that patient motivations for facial cosmetic enhancements may be best understood through everyday intrapersonal, social, and behavioral factors.

An update on cosmetic procedures in people of color. Part 2: Neuromodulators, soft tissue augmentation, chemexfoliating agents, and laser hair reduction

Recent years have brought forth the undeniable practice gap in dermatology concerning knowledge and experience of cosmetic procedures in people of color (POC). A paucity in the literature regarding evidence-based recommendations for the management of POC undergoing cosmetic procedures and the rise of cosmetic procedures in dermatology serves as a call to action to provide education regarding differences in skin of color that may impact the cosmetic outcomes. To mitigate the current practice gap on the safety, use, and benefits of cosmetic procedures in POC, part 2 will discuss the authors' recommendations and clinical pearls, as well as evidence-based management for neuromodulators, soft tissue augmentation, chemexfoliating agents, and laser hair reduction in POC undergoing cosmetic procedures.

Seasonality of procedures in dermatology: Insights for practice management

This commentary examines the seasonality of various procedures in dermatology. With the rising demand of cosmetic procedures, it is important for physicians to understand seasonal trends of their services, which can offer insights to better forecast patient demand and optimize practice management. Although it has been anecdotally reported that the popularity of dermatologic procedures may peak during specific times of the year, available data on consumer behavior is limited. Our data fills this gap in the literature by examining the seasonality of dermatologic procedures and discussing the potential reasons for these findings. Physicians can utilize this information to optimize marketing strategies for particular procedures in order to capture greater market share and potentially increase practice revenues.