Putting the “Pre” in Rejuvenation: Welcome to the Prejuvenation Trend
By Chelsea Campbell
Millennials are no strangers when it comes to forging new paths and setting trends, and the world of beauty is no exception. Dermatologists are seeing an increasing number of young adults, many who have nary a fine line, who are seeking facial injections like Botox and Kybella in the hopes of staving off signs of aging. Maybe it’s because this generation has grown up in an era of high-definition television and photoshopped models in advertisements, or because they live a life displayed through social media that makes them image-conscious and hyper-aware of how they portray themselves to the world. Or maybe it’s because in this day and age, we have what is essentially the fountain of youth in the form of injectables, fillers, lasers, and surgery...and who wouldn’t want to look forever fresh-faced? A millennial's answer to the inevitable march of time? One word: Prejuvenation.
What is Prejuvenation?
Or rather, a combination of the words prevention and rejuvenation. Prejuvenation aims to encapsulate both the preventative and restorative approach to cosmetic procedures that younger women are adopting. Instead of trying to turn back the effects of time, more and more young adults are undergoing non- or minimally invasive cosmetic procedures earlier in order to stop time in its tracks - before it does its damage.
Dr. Ken Arndt from SkinCare Physicians in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, explains that he often has younger patients ask him whether it is too soon to start an anti-aging procedure like Botox. “I came to the conclusion that there is no “too early”. It became evident to me that if you start some of these procedures earlier in life, then you don't have to do them later.”
So how did the clever name come about? Arndt tells us, “A lot of what we see is rejuvenation: photorejuvenation, laser rejuvenation, and all kinds of products that are “rejuvenating”. So the thought came to me that if you prejuvenate, that is to say, you start early, then you don't have to rejuvenate when you get older. So if you start these things [like toxins] in your 20s or 30s, you don't develop lines and wrinkles.”
Who Can Benefit?
According to Dr. Arndt, even people in their early 20s can reap the long-term benefits of starting an anti-aging regimen, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a toxin like Botox. He explains, “You can start with very benign, non-invasive procedures; some of the lasers or fillers or mild things, even peels. Most of the things we do induce changes which last, or bring about changes within the skin that have long-lasting effects, even though the product itself may be gone.”
And the benefits also extend beyond just the purely cosmetic, too. He goes on to say, “It may be that if you rejuvenate the skin with fractional resurfacing, it may inhibit the evolution of precancerous lesions or even skin cancers. So if you get there early, then you don't have to worry about it later on.” Sounds like a trend worth posting about.
