Growing number of older people taking cosmetic procedures in Australia

About 13 per cent of Australia’s population – some 2.8 million people – is aged 65 years old or older; Australians have the second longest life expectancy in the world at 81.4 years, right behind Japan. A research released last year by the Department of Health and Ageing of Australia also appoints that by mid-century most Australians can expect to live to their mid-to-late-80s.

However people are living longer and better while keeping themselves active and healthy, the aging process still continues changing their appearance. That might be the reason why many people over 50 years old are looking for cosmetic procedures, such as Botox, facelift, dermal fillers etc.

Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and a member of both the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Dr Richard Barnett has found an increase number of older people taking plastic surgery in recent years.

Most of his older patients have facial surgery, particularly facelifts. “Cosmetic surgery is about restoring balance and these patients typically feel that their appearance does not balance with how they feel about themselves. They look in the mirror and think ‘that is not how I feel’. A successful facelift allows them to look in the mirror and think ‘that is how I feel now’,” says surgeon Dr Barnett.

As the advanced age increases the risks for any surgery, it is important to check each patient’s condition, all their medical background, including any heart or lung trouble, blood pressure, allergies or medication being taken. Depending on the case and on patient’s goals, a non-surgical procedure which is less expensive and involves less adverse reactions could be indicated.

Dr Mariusz Gajewski, specialised in Cosmetic Medicine, has had an 84-year-old client that was looking for a face lifter, but by using Botox injections (a non-surgical cosmetic procedure) she’s achieved her goals. “She was full of energy, feeling healthy with not many medical issues looking for a way to minimise aged related signs on her face. Using Botox to smooth up movement lines and dermal filler to pop up her cheek bones, she looked a lot better. She didn’t look 20 but she looked great for her age.”

Dr Gajewski says 25 per cent of his clients are over 50 years old, most of them are women but there is a substantial part of men as well; the oldest male client he’s looked after was in his 70s. “A lot of men look for Botox procedures because it’s not something that requires huge amount of time investment; you don’t have to spend hours in front of the mirror, daily or weekly, scrubbing things on and scrubbing things off,” he explains.

Young people tend not to treat cosmetic procedures as a big deal, they don’t mind talking about it with family and friends; for them, that’s just one more way to take care of their appearance, such as going to the gym or having an expensive haircut. Older people, on the other hand, prefer to treat it as a private matter, remaining the procedure as a secret most of the time.

All the surgeons agree that is important to check the patient physical possibilities of surgical procedures and how they relate to surgical results, but the mental health of the patient is equally important. “I wouldn’t feel ethically right to operate someone or do a procedure in someone who is doing it while they’re clinically depressed,” says Dr Mariusz. “It’s possible to find out depression and other mental related issues exploring carefully patient’s medical history.”

A surgeon should be always prepared to let the patients know of the realistic results and all the adverse reactions they could possibly experience, they could even refuse the treatment if the expectations are incongruous with what is expected to be the outcome. Dr Mariusz Gajewski says that attitude could be taken every time a patient who’s been treated expects to have a little bit more and the doctor doesn’t think it’s of any benefit for the patient. “I’d probably say that’s not worthwhile of doing any further and that’d only increase the chance of adverse reactions without much benefit from it anymore.”

Statistics on cosmetic procedures in Australia and other countries on http://thisaustralianlife.blogspot.com/2009/09/growing-number-of-older-people-taking.html

A Brazilian journalist living in Australia who loves reading, writing, chocolate ice cream and her husband, not necessarily in this order.