More Working Seniors Turn to Plastic Surgery

With a increasing number of seniors over 65 remaining in the workforce, many are turning to plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures to keep them looking and feeling their best among their younger peers.  According to Statistics Canada, the percentage of seniors (65 and older) in the workforce jumped from 15.5 per cent in 2003 to 25.5 per cent in 2013.

Whether older adults are working to remain active and engaged later in life or because they haven’t saved enough for an increasing longer retirement, cosmetic procedures have seen an increase in this demographic group over the last decade.  According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, elective cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) rose nearly 30 per cent from 2005 to 2010 in patients over 65.   Many of these procedures were the patients’ first time having plastic surgery and over the same period of time, cosmetic procedures in the overall population fell by 17 per cent.

Women aren’t the only ones turning to cosmetic procedures to compete in the job market, face lifts for men rose 14 per cent in 2010 and Botox injections increased 9 per cent, reports the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.  Older men and women also are increasingly using fillers to make creases and wrinkles less prominent and liposuction to slim waistlines.

Older patients should always consider the risks of surgery, including complications from general anesthesia and speak with their primary care physician as well as a board certified plastic surgeon before making any decisions. Seniors undergoing cosmetic surgery may also want to take out extra insurance that will provide coverage for any complications stemming from elective surgery.