Plastic surgery rates on the rise in older adult population

Seven percent of cosmetic procedures performed in 2000 were performed on women and men age 65 and older, according to a Feb 1, 2002, news release from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Since 1997, the number of cosmetic procedures performed on people in this age group has increased by 352%. There are special considerations when performing plastic surgery on people of this age group, but age is not a contraindication to surgery.

One of the factors that affects the quality and longevity of cosmetic surgery results is skin elasticity, which diminishes with age. Patients who wait until later in life to undergo their first cosmetic procedure may not see the same results as a younger patient or a person who has undergone previous cosmetic procedures, but results still can be dramatic.

For older patients, surgical techniques may need to be altered. When performing a facelift on patients with thinning hair, for example, the surgeon may need to place incisions to better camouflage scars. Older patients also may choose to have their earlobes reduced when undergoing a facelift because earlobes grow and stretch with age and may look out of proportion after a facial procedure.

When performing eyelid surgery on older patients, tissue removal may need to be more conservative because patients may have a greater tendency to develop "dry eye." Older adults may prefer to have several mild facial peels as opposed to one deep chemical peel because their skin is thin. They also may need a modified "tummy tuck" when undergoing lipoplasty to get rid of excess skin that has lost its elasticity.

Extra precautions may be necessary for older patients with certain types of medical conditions. This may mean that additional medical personnel are needed during the procedure or that the procedure should be performed in a hospital. Special accommodations increase the cost of surgery. Patients age 65 and older also may require longer recovery periods than younger patients. Their bruising may take longer to subside, and incisions may take longer to heal.