Gen Z’s obsession with plastic surgery hits new high as experts report spike in clients under 30

Besides scrolling through TikTok and reviving decades-old music, it appears Gen Z has another obsession: cosmetic procedures.

And plastic surgeons in the U.S. are noticing a demographic shift: their patients are getting younger.

Océana Bourassa, a woman from Toronto, has underwent a number of procedures.

Since 2020, Bourassa has opted for lip and chin fillers, Botox in her forehead, a rhinoplasty, liposuction in her chin and breast implants for a bill that reaches beyond $20,000.

“I really would have liked to have work done at an earlier age,” the 23-year-old told the Star. “But it’s like, not legal.”

She shared a before-and-after photo of her rhinoplasty with the Star, posted by her surgeon on Instagram.

“I wouldn’t say that it gives me self confidence, but it boosts it for sure,” she said of her procedures. “And it makes me more comfortable in my own skin. I think everyone can appreciate how they look, but, if you want, you can always make it better.”

She’s not alone in her thinking.

According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Gen Z is booking cosmetic procedures at higher rates than before, and 75 per cent of surgeons in the U.S. said they saw a spike in clients under 30 in 2022.

More than 80 per cent of the total number of procedures performed in 2022 were minimally invasive, the academy said, with the remaining 18 per cent being surgical. The top three treatments were neurotoxins (like Botox), fillers and topicals (like chemical peels), while the top surgical procedures were facelifts, blepharoplasties (eyelid reduction) and rhinoplasties (nose jobs).

The data is American but the trend is taking hold in Canada, too.

Demand for plastic surgery and non-surgical procedures in Canada

The demand for plastic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic procedures soared in Canada during the pandemic, with folks taking advantage of the extra time at home to recover. Critics at the time worried people could have been rushing into serious medical procedures as the pandemic fuelled body image issues, partly because of the distorting powers of video-conferencing platforms and social media.

Also during the pandemic, the Brazilian Butt Lift, or BBL, trend took off, with TikTok users documenting their travels abroad to have the oftentimes dangerous procedure done. It’s unclear to know how many Canadians participated in the BBL frenzy, though one May 2021 study found Canadians are increasingly participating in medical tourism, one of the main drivers being decreased costs abroad.

Hamna Awan, a 28-year-old TikTokker from Toronto was tempted to fly abroad for her rhinoplasty, or nose-job, but decided to stay closer to home to be near family during the recovery period.

Plus, she found a doctor in Toronto who had experience working with South Asian noses — something she said was important as she didn’t want to remove a feature common in her family in favour of a button nose. She just wanted to refine its shape.

“My biggest issue was there was a bump right in the middle,” she said. “I really wanted to get rid of it,” adding when she was growing up her peers would point it out. After surgery she “felt better right away,” but questioned whether she would have gone through with the procedure if her peers didn’t make those comments.

“We’re shaped by our experiences,” she said. “If no one ever pointed out my nose, maybe I would think it’s a unique feature — something that makes me stand out in a good way.”

Social media’s effect on self-confidence and beauty standards

Half of Gen Z, which by definition refers to people introduced to social media and the internet at an early age, agree social media has a net negative effect on their mental health according to a 2022 report from Mintel.

Both Bourassa and Awan spoke highly of their procedures and the associated boost in self confidence they experienced afterward, but noted social media may have played a part — big or small — in their decisions and those of their peers who have gotten procedures of their own.

“There’s an emphasis on looking perfect,” said Awan. “Everyone is putting out these very curated images of their body and their face.”

“There’s so much Photoshop,” said Bourassa. But when influencers are honest about their procedures or editing their photos, “it puts it into perspective. What are we looking at? This isn’t even real. This is going to be attainable.”

Body positivity more important than ever, say experts

While cosmetic procedures may help to improve self confidence levels, Aisha Fairclough said it speaks to a larger issue in society of women — and men — comparing themselves to the unrealistic beauty standards plaguing social media and traditional forms of media.

Fairclough, a co-founder of Body Confidence Canada — an organization advocating for more equitable and inclusive practices in media — said these cosmetic procedures aren’t necessarily attacking that issue, but are rather feeding into external forces. She’d like to see counselling before plastic surgery procedures, especially for teens and young adults, noting many are irreversible.

“We need to have more conversations about what feeling safe in your body looks like,” she said. “And if someone has an issue with their body image, you’re not going to say, ‘Get over it.’ It doesn’t work like that.”

Instead, it’s a lifelong process of self acceptance that affects people of all demographics and age groups.

“It never ends,” said Fairclough. “We really have to be aware of the times and messages we’re consuming and be intentional in the world — and be gentle with yourself.”

American TV personality and daughter of Sarah Palin, Bristol Palin, recently shared she underwent her ninth breast reduction surgery to fix a “botched” procedure when she was 19 years old, People Magazine reported in January.

Palin also previously opened up about a tummy tuck she had.

"Way 222 easy to compare ourselves on [social media], just a reminder not to," Palin captioned a post, writing in the video: "Don't let this place have you comparing your own worth and stealing your joy."

When asked if Bourassa would consider getting more procedures done in the future, she said she may consider liposuction or an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) after having kids.

“There’s a bunch of things you can do to fight aging,” she said, but she’s not certain what she’ll do when the time comes. “You’d have to get back to me in like, 15 years.”

Alessia Passafiume is a GTA-area based staff reporter for the Star's Express Desk. Reach her via email: apassafiume@thestar.ca