Aesthetic Trend Spotting With New York City Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Jennifer Levine

Regenerative aesthetics and other novel treatments are changing the way that doctors and patients think about and approach facial aging.

New York City facial plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD, spoke to AestheticsWire about regenerative aesthetics and other hot trends during the 2023 Merz Aesthetics’ MEXS Media Days in Barcelona.

What do you think the top aesthetic trends will be in 2024?

Jennifer Levine, MD: “Regenerative medicine and regenerative aesthetics, in particular, are starting to become more popular now and will exponentially increase in popularity in 2024. To be considered regenerative, the tissue has to behave like healthy tissue. We are not just making collagen. It has to stimulate all the layers of tissue, allowing the layers to behave like they would in a youthful or more natural state.”

Are we there yet?

Dr. Levine: “We are getting there. We have a greater appreciation of 3 and 4-dimension anatomy and how all layers of the face and body play a role in form and function. Radiesse is an example of a regenerative product. It stimulates collagen, elastin, and angiogenesis. We are seeing a renewed focus on fillers that do stuff over time and are having a patient’s own body do the work.”

Any other cosmetic trends you see coming?

Dr. Levine: “Toxin use in the lower face will be a big deal in 2024.  The upper face has been our focus for a long time, but there will be renewed interest in the use of toxins in the lower face such as platysma or masseter depressor muscles.”

What’s new with hair loss?

Dr. Levine: “Treating hair loss with a combination of platelet-rich plasma injections and exosomes or vesicles formed by stem cells that contain information that allows cell-to-cell communication, is a big trend. Exosomes can contain microRNA, peptides, or cell-signaling protons. Exosomes can improve hair density. Hair grows longer and thicker and darkens. “

What else can exosomes do?

Dr. Levine: “They aid in wound healing. Wounds heal faster. They can also help with anti-aging and rejuvenation.”

What about Ozempic face? Is it real? How do you address it?

Dr. Levine:  “Now that all these people have had massive weight loss with Ozempic and other medications, we are seeing laxity.  If a person is extremely lax and a patient doesn’t want surgery, we might recommend three sessions of Ultherapy spaced 4-6 weeks apart. This may be combined with Radiesse injections to build more collagen for a lift."

Speaking of fillers, is filler fatigue real?

Dr. Levine:  “People are more aware of being lifted rather than filled.”