Aesthetic medicine is experiencing its golden moment, occupying an important role in the field of personal health and well-being. And all this is seen in figures. According to the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SEME), 46.6% of Spaniards underwent some aesthetic medicine treatment last year, with 69% being women compared to 31% of men.
Furthermore, according to data from Top Doctors®, a leading healthtech group in the digital transformation of the healthcare sector and in the development of technological systems for easy access to the best medical specialists, in the last two years, in-person appointments with doctors have increased 10%. Their data indicates that, of the more than 30,000 patients treated in aesthetic medicine specialties in the last 2 years, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville concentrate the highest percentage of people who resort to this type of treatments.
“Among the reasons that have led to this increase is that the average age at which people begin to undergo treatments has gone from 35 years to 26 years, which broadens the spectrum. In addition, the media bombardment on the social networks by influencers, the greater competitiveness at work and now from the age of 50 they have to compete with young people, who are going strong. We also see how the increase in the divorce rate means we have to ‘return to the market’ and they want to do it with an improved version. And, finally, teleworking and video calls along with selfies are making us more aware of the details in our face that previously went unnoticed”comments Dr. Moisés Amselem, specialist in Aesthetic Medicine and head of the Aesthetic Medicine Unit at Clínica Martín del Yerro / Amselem and member of the Top Doctors group.
Intrusion: 8 out of 10 aesthetic treatments are done by non-specialist doctors
Data from the SEME indicate that 8 out of 10 aesthetic practices are performed by professionals not qualified in plastic, aesthetic or reconstructive surgery, which results in possible health risks for the patient.
“Patients must go to Authorized Centers that have the U.48 seal granted by the SEME and are the only ones that guarantee visits with medical professionals who work with rigor and professionalism. “We professionals are doing continuous work to ensure that the patient understands that they have to go to authorized centers and with experienced and trained professionals.”explains Dr. Natalia Ribé, specialist in Aesthetic Medicine, founder and medical director of the Institut Dra. Natalia Ribé and member of Grupo Top Doctors.
In addition, Dr. María José Maroto, specialist in Regenerative Medicine in Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine, director of the Doctora Maroto Clinic and member of Grupo Top Doctors assures that “We are seeing atrocities. In our center we see a significant increase in people who come seeking to “resolve” what others have done wrong. This is a major problem, because it does not allow us to do the job correctly. For us it is key to care, advise and treat. But the patient does not always let us carry out that process.”
Young people, aesthetics and social networks, the perfect tandem for the sector
Having a good image and projecting the “best version” of oneself is something that both men and women are giving more importance to in recent years. Furthermore, far from being a taboo, social networks have become a window to make this issue visible and, at the same time, a call to action that encourages patients to obtain their best version to show it on social channels.
According to the SEME report, the age group with the most aesthetic medicine patients is between 35 and 54 years old. However, increasingly, the percentage of young people is higher. In fact, people who undergo treatments between 16 and 25 years old have grown by 20% in the last year.
“It is not bad for young people to undergo preventive treatments. But everything must be done according to the age at which one is. Currently, what is happening is that the information without measure or filter that sometimes arrives through social networks means that younger profiles end up requesting treatments that do not correspond to them by age and that they do not even need. When I give my skin what it doesn’t need, my skin will rebound, this results in more and more young patients coming in with “annoying” and reactive skin, with rosacea, erythema, etc., the result of misuse. This is where I consider that the aesthetic doctor cannot forget about professional ethics, the code of deontology, and must be able to say “no” and set a limit.”says Dr. Natalia Ribé.
Wellaging, the trending concept to combat Anti-Aging
More and more people are looking for a 360º healthy lifestyle, in which self-care involves eating well, doing sports, taking care of mental health and also image, but from a natural concept of skin and aesthetics. Furthermore, treatments are currently carried out throughout the year, not just in the months before the summer holidays.
“There are many people who are very aware that it is not that they do not want to age, but that they want to age well. It is key to identify the patient’s mental health status, because the ideal is for treatments to be carried out from a balanced and positive self-concept and self-esteem, and where a healthy and natural improvement is desired. But under no circumstances should we perform treatments when we detect a distortion of both the physical and body image, where prior psychological intervention is important.”says Dr. Natalia Ribé.
“There is no age to start or stop having treatments. As we always say, you have to analyze the skin and the problem, to proceed with the appropriate treatment for each moment of life and each circumstance.”. Dr. María José Maroto reviews the most popular treatments: “Currently, the treatments we perform most include neuromodulatory treatments to correct expression wrinkles, which appear most frequently in the forehead, between the eyebrows, and crow’s feet. Also collagen inducers and tensioning threads for both the face and body as support for loss that may occur over time. Also regenerative medicine treatments and anti-sagging treatments. All of them to stimulate and increase cellular activity so that the body produces more collagen, which translates into more hydrated, smoother and ultimately younger skin..
