Men, millennials represent new markets for aesthetic procedures

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Younger women and men are increasingly seeking out cosmetic procedures which can lead to increased revenue for practitioners, according to a speaker here.

“In fact, 2021 was the first year patients older than 56 have taken a back seat and now represent a lower percentage of total consumers in the cosmetic industry,” Shasa Hu, MD, director of the cosmetic division at the Dr. Philip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said during a presentation at South Beach Symposium. “And we are also seeing more gender balanced procedures. As a practitioner, you really have to adapt to the changes that you’re seeing.”

The use of social media is also much more integral to attracting and keeping these new demographics.

A recent survey found 52% of patients made the decision to see a practitioner due to their social media presence and 78% follow their providers on social media. Additionally, 83% of consumer decisions about cosmetic procedures were influenced by review websites.

“Social media is key, but we need to maintain professionalism. What you project on social media is what you will attract to your practice,” Hu said.

Millennial and Gen Z patients, who are currently in their 20s, 30s and early 40s, are more commonly interested in preventative and subtle procedures. These include brow lifts, lip flips, lip filler, undereye fillers and jawline contouring.

“Be mindful that as we are transforming a patient’s appearance, particularly younger patients, we really want to maintain balance,” Hu said.

Male patients are often interested in similar procedures as female patients, but are seeking different results.

A survey found 10% of nonsurgical aesthetic procedures were performed in men by 2019, according to Hu. However, societal biases on vanity are still very prevalent for men, who also have much less knowledge about side effects, efficacy and benefits to certain procedures.

They are often concerned about results looking too feminine and commonly look to have procedures performed on the crow’s feet, tear troughs and forehead lines.

Knowing what these newer groups of patients are looking for and how to appeal to them can help a practice both attract them and keep them as long-term patients.

“Younger patients walk in and know what they want, but you can offer a long-term skin rejuvenation plan and they will keep coming back to you,” Hu said.