I’ve never had plastic surgery: What you see in my profile pic is what the good Lord gave me (alas).
But on the other hand, I weightlift five times a week — and although my health is a motivating factor, I’d be lying if I said it was the biggest reason.
‘Cause the #1 reason why I weightlift is personal ego: When I walk by the mirror, I don’t want to be disgusted by what I see.
Which puts me in the exact same boat as plastic surgery patients — only my “solution” takes longer and is less efficient.
Either way, plastic surgery has gone mainstream: According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, between 2020 and 2024, plastic surgery procedures increased by 40%.
(Speaking purely anecdotally, I don’t think the public has gotten 40% more attractive.)
In 2024, the most common surgical procedures were eyelid surgery, followed by liposuction, breast augmentation, scar revision, and rhinoplasty. For nonsurgical procedures, the five most common were botulism toxin (Botox), hyaluronic acid (filler), hair removal, skin tightening, and chemical peels.
For women, the top three were liposuction, eyelid surgery, and breast augmentation. For men, it’s eyelid surgery, gynecomastia, and scar revision.
And two age groups — the Baby Boomers and Generation X — are responsible for a whopping 75% of all procedures. So, if you’re a Gen-Xer like me, take a bow, because our generation was responsible for:
- 48% of all tummy tucks
- 51% of all buttock lifts
- 43% of all breast implant removals
- 57% of all neuromodulator injections
- 50% of all hyaluronic acid fillers
(Who says we’re slackers?! If anything, we’re overachieving!)
As for the other generations:
- 50% of all facial procedures were Baby Boomers
- 35% of breast augmentations were Millennials
- 41% of buttock augmentations (with fat grafting) were Millennials
- 37% of rhinoplasties were Gen Z
- 25% of cheek implants were Gen Z
Of course, a lot depends on how we define cosmetic, age-defying “alterations.” Amidst our quest for Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth, Pew Research reported:
Of the four things we asked about, coloring hair to cover grays is the most common step Americans have taken to look younger than they are (27% say they’ve done this). About one-in-five (21%) say they have taken antiaging supplements.
Far smaller shares say they have gotten nonsurgical cosmetic treatments (5%) or cosmetic plastic surgery (3%).
In total, 40% of U.S. adults say they have done at least one of these to look younger than they are.
Some people who haven’t done these things say they would at least consider doing them. Taken together:
- 56% have taken or would consider taking antiaging supplements.
- 52% have colored or would consider coloring their hair to cover grays.
- 23% have gotten or would consider getting nonsurgical cosmetic treatments.
- 18% have gotten or would consider getting cosmetic plastic surgery.
There’s also a gender divide:
For example, 45% of women say they have colored their hair to cover grays and 28% say they have taken antiaging supplements. Among men, 8% and 13% have done these things, respectively.
Apropos of the times, there’s now a political angle to plastic surgery:
USA Today: Mar-a-Lago face’? I’d Prefer to Make Aging Normal Again
The Week: Mar-a-Lago Face: Has MAGA Plastic Surgery Trend Peaked?
The Guardian: Plastic Surgeons Wrestle With Requests for ‘Mar-a-Lago Face’: ‘You’re Going to Look Like Maleficent’
New York Times: From Kardashian Injectable Lips to Mar-a-Lago Face
Axios: D.C. Plastic Surgeons See Surge in ‘Mar-a-Lago Face’ Requests From Trump Insiders
HuffPost: ‘Mar-a-Lago Face’ Is About More Than Just Looks — It’s About Power
Commonwealth Times: The GOP’s Aesthetics Are Just as Ugly as Their Actions
Mother Jones: In Your Face: The Brutal Aesthetics of MAGA
Newsweek: Marjorie Taylor Greene Hits Out at ‘MAGA Mar-a-Lago Sexualization’
It’s a weird line of attack for the left, because plenty of prominent Democrats have had cosmetic surgery: Rush Limbaugh might’ve called him “Plugs,” but other than that, virtually no one in the media ever mentioned that Joe Biden’s hairline was as phony as his mental acuity. And when Nancy Pelosi was at her height of power (and tearing up speeches on national television), reporters dutifully avoided all mentions of her, ahem, age-defying appearance. (Sen. Lindsey Graham actually apologized for joking about it.)
Besides, isn’t it sexist to knock a woman for her physical appearance?
The so-called “Mar-a-Lago face” is almost exclusively a female phenomenon and is mostly used by the left to mock, insult, and belittle conservative women.
The Daily Beast has literally published hundreds upon hundreds of articles referring to Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem as “ICE Barbie” — and the silence of all the morally upstanding feminists has been deafening.
If the high heel shoe was on the other foot, the Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media would be howling with rage if conservatives had derided liberal women as Barbies, mocked their appearances, or insinuated that their body parts were full of Confederate money.
But the truth is, most of the top Democratic women are far less attractive than the top Republican women.
On the GOP side, we have Karoline Leavitt, Melania Trump, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, Lauren Boebert, Megyn Kelly, Nancy Mace, Anna Paulina Luna, Tulsi Gabbard, Kelly Loeffler, Alina Habba, Erika Kirk, Laurel Lee — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. (With an honorable mention to Sydney Sweeney.) No shortage of beauties!
As Wayne and Garth might’ve said, we’ve become the party of Babe-raham Lincoln:
And then, on the Democratic side, there’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and, uh… yup, that’s about it. (Unless Kamala Harris, Rosa DeLauro, Jill Biden, or Jasmine Crockett is your cup of tea.)
Well, there’s also Rachel Levine and Sarah McBride, but I’d still give the edge to the GOP.
Bottom line?
If you work in a visual medium, then your appearance matters. It’s part of your overall brand, and I can’t fault someone for trying to maximize their career — even if it includes plastic surgery.
(Furthermore, I’m not gonna say a peep about women who’ve had breast augmentations after battling cancer and having a mastectomy. That’s a different category altogether.)
And honestly, some people look significantly better after a pull here or a tuck there. Plastic surgery is popular because… it often works.
But there’s still something sad and pathetic about it, isn’t there?
To me, obvious, over-the-top plastic surgery screams “insecure.” I could be wrong, but I don’t think it’s happy, confident people who are spending tens of thousands to revamp their faces.
Instead, it’s people haunted by fears, trauma, and self-doubt.
And everything else being equal, I’d rather vote for a happy, confident candidate than one who’s riddled with insecurities.
Wouldn’t you?
