Promoting Graceful Aging: Cosmetic Care and Your Older Patients

Outward appearances tell stories without words, and for most of us, we’ve been conditioned to see certain traits as more desirable than others: clean jawlines, toned muscles, glowing skin, etc. It’s safe to say that for much of human history, we’ve been searching for ways to look and feel more attractive. Scientists around the world are working at slowing or even reversing the aging process, but we aren’t there yet. While we wait for a “fountain of youth” to be unlocked, we are lucky to live in a time when we can take some matters of aging into our own hands with the help of modern medicine and a deeper understanding of wellness.

We know that diet and physical activity play a vital role in maintaining health for everyone. In senior adults, both are particularly important in preventing and managing chronic illnesses.¹ Not only do proper diet and exercise ward off some of the effects of aging, but they can also help maintain some of the positive aspects of youth, such as lean muscle tone. But what about the things we can’t change through diet and exercise? Well, with the spectrum of cosmetic procedures available today, it is possible to erase many of the classic signs of aging that often make people look older than they feel.

DEMAND AMONG OLDER PATIENTS

And the best part? These procedures aren’t just for young patients wanting to look just a little better. In fact, in the United States, people ages 55 to 69 received 30% of all cosmetic surgical and minimally invasive procedures in 2022.² This was rivaled only by people 40 to 54, who received 45% of the aforementioned procedures in 2022.³ Looking closer at the numbers, we see the 55-to-69 age group placing an emphasis on cosmetic surgical procedures of the face as well as minimally and non-invasive procedures for skin rejuvenation through resurfacing and fillers.⁴ The trend that we see is that middle-aged and older patients continue to be interested in looking their best, having become more comfortable over time with taking advantage of the full spectrum of treatment options available.

COST CONCERNS

Regardless of a patient’s age, cosmetic procedures are almost always considered elective. For people heading into retirement or those who are already retired, this means both private insurers and Medicare won’t cover any of the fees associated with surgical or nonsurgical cosmetic procedures. For older adults who pursue elective care, including cosmetic procedures, research has shown their two main concerns were with the physical (pain/discomfort and difficulty of recovery) and financial implications of their procedure (out-of-pocket costs and employment status).⁵ The good news is that most procedures offered today cause minimal discomfort, and dedicated aesthetic financing options have become available.

Many of us struggle to justify spending money on the small pleasures in life, let alone thousands of dollars on aesthetic procedures. These feelings can be compounded for older adults who are retired and may rely entirely on their savings for the cost of living. For these patients, out-of-pocket costs for some of the larger cosmetic procedures could have serious implications on their financial wellness if they aren’t properly prepared.

FINANCING OPTIONS

As people continue to age and are faced with changes to their physical appearance that they may want to address, we need to consider how we can make aesthetic procedures more financially accessible. At my practice, we do have patients who pay with cash, check, or credit card, but we also offer a third-party financing option through CareCredit. It’s just as important for us to offer these solutions as it is for us, as providers, to diligently educate our patients on how financing works and set expectations for what payments, due dates, or interest would look like. Financing options can help our clientele pay for their procedures over time in ways that fit their budgets— allowing them to confidently seek out the treatments that revitalize their look and their confidence.

Regardless of age, cost shouldn’t stand in the way of feeling better about yourself.

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2018.

2. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2022 Procedural Stats Release | Cosmetic Surgery Age Distribution: 55-69. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/Statistics/2022/cosmetic-procedures-ages-55-69-2022.pdf. Accessed May 15, 2024.

3. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2022 Procedural Stats Release | Cosmetic Surgery Age Distribution: 40-54. 2022 https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/Statistics/2022/cosmetic-procedures-ages-40-54-2022.pdf. Accessed May 15, 2024.

4. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2022 Procedural Stats Release | Cosmetic Surgery Age Distribution: 55-69. 2022 https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/Statistics/2022/cosmetic-procedures-ages-55-69-2022.pdf. Accessed May 15, 2024.

5. Berlin NL, Kirch M, Singer DC, Solway E, Malani PN, Kullgren JT. Preoperative Concerns of Older US Adults and Decisions About Elective Surgery. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(1):e2353857. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.53857