The rise in remote work and Zoom meetings brings a surge of younger patients requesting Botox. Dr Winnie Moses MD, founder and medical director of Parfaire Medical Aesthetics, Pasadena, CA, has seen a surge in Gen-Z patients requesting Botox. Highly acclaimed for her outstanding cosmetic treatments, Dr Moses’ mission is to help people achieve optimal confidence and their best appearance through minimally-invasive procedures.

Here, she discusses possible reasons behind the increase of millennials requesting anti-aging treatments. Dr Moses offers vital insight into the impact of Covid and stress on the skin. She also shares invaluable beauty advice for maintaining healthy and youthful skin. Yay!

1.Have you noticed an increase in younger people coming to your clinic for Botox injections or other anti-aging procedures in the past year? Which age group are you seeing more frequently?

“As people are becoming more aware of Botox as a preventative treatment, we’ve noticed an increase in younger patients at our clinic. Treatments are started earlier rather than later, when deeper wrinkles are developed. Because we’re a medical aesthetic clinic with more comprehensive treatments, most of our patients are between twenty-eight and sixty-five years old for both enhancement and anti-aging treatments.”

2.What are the most frequently requested treatments?

 “One of our most common requests is treatment for improving sagging skin. We tailor a personal plan for each patient depending on the chosen treatment. Some of our most popular treatments include the Parfaire Red Carpet Life with RF Energy, Liquid Face Lift with dermal filler and Botox, and the Parfaire PDO/PLLA thread lift.”

2.The pandemic has introduced a new era of remote working practices. The reliance on Zoom has led to people noticing their appearances far more often. In your opinion, is this the fundamental reason millennials are reaching out for rejuvenating procedures?

“Yes, absolutely. We’ve noticed a surge of patients – mostly Millennials – who come in after noticing neck-lines or “double chins” on Zoom. The extra hours on-camera have made patients more aware of prominent frown-lines, prompting them to come in and correct their ‘RBF’.” 

3. For most people, life has been far more stressful since the beginning of the pandemic. Can stress cause premature aging and in what ways does it present itself on the skin?

“The pandemic has caused “pan-distress” to individuals of all ages. As someone who has worked in a hospital throughout the pandemic, I’ve observed a significant increase in a societal mental health crisis and its manifestation of physical illness. Skin, the largest organ of the human body, has tons of hormonal receptors and reacts to surges of cortisol – the stress hormone. Symptoms may include dry skin (regardless of hydration levels), skin roughness with larger pores, skin dullness, or breakouts. Even individuals who have never experienced such issues in the past may encounter these stress-related skin reactions.”

4.Do you believe stress is a key factor for an increase in younger people seeking Botox? Have you noticed more patients requiring treatment for premature aging that is stress-induced?

“Stress is certainly a key factor in the increase of Botox treatments among younger patients. There is a strong correlation between stress and premature aging that has been supported by numerous medical publications. Additionally, prolonged periods of non-accessibility to professional skin care plays a role in the increase of younger patients looking for Botox and other treatments. While Botox is a well-known, household name, new patients are often mistaken that Botox is the one and only treatment that will cure all of their skin and aging concerns. At Parfaire, we try to educate our patients about this common misconception.”

5. The rise in social media posts and filtered pictures directly impacts younger people. The desire to achieve aesthetic ‘perfection’ and comparisons to celebrity icons has led to people requesting unnecessary procedures. We regularly receive letters from readers who say they   believe they are ‘ugly’ and would do anything to look more like filtered images of their Instagram heroes. Have you encountered situations whereby a person has requested unnecessary treatments (due to this issue)? What are your thoughts on this?

“When I encounter these situations, I try to consult patients and help them set realistic expectations. Sometimes, the need to achieve physical perfection is too extreme and deeply psychologically rooted; in these instances, I refrain from offering any treatment as these patients may be suffering from body dysmorphia.”

“Social media has contributed to the popularity of requests for fuller lips, clear skin without fillers, and an enhanced facial profile, as seen among the majority (95%) of my young patients.  We help them achieve satisfying results, consistently receiving positive feedback expressing how much they enjoy the results and how much more confident they feel post-treatment.” 

6. There seems to be a loophole in the UK law, allowing for beauticians who are unqualified to offer non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as Botox. As you can imagine, this has led to a myriad of problems. Does the US experience a similar problem? What changes would you like to see, to tackle this situation?

 “Like the UK, some states also have less regulations. I frequently see and treat patients who aren’t satisfied with their results even from trained, qualified medical professionals. In the United States, medicine is probably the profession with the longest education and training process. Professionals need that knowledge and skill set; mandated continuation of education ensures one’s ability to work and operate on a human being, surgically or not. Full medical education plus 10,000 hours of practice – that is the basic requirement to offer your services, period.”

7. We are still learning how Covid-19 affects people long-term. In your opinion, do you think ‘long Covid’ could have an impact on the skin, even in people with mild symptoms? Do you think it can trigger premature aging?

“Like the common cold, we are going to live with Covid for the long run. I don’t think the virus is specifically “designed” to target the skin like other vital internal organs such as the lungs, heart, and brain. However, considering all the inflammatory reactions associated with Covid, the skin is sure to experience reactions, even with mild symptoms.”

8. Can you tell us what percentage of your clients are men? Has this increased in recent months, too?

“About 25% of my clients are men. There has been a small increase in treatments for deep wrinkles with Botox and fillers as patients spend more time on Zoom.”

9. Finally, can you reveal any secret tips for fighting premature aging and maintaining optimal condition of skin?

“My secret tip is to use the proven effective treatments to address all three layers of the skin – texture, pigment, and collagen. For me, I do a combo treatment once a year – Parfaire total skin rejuvenation and restoration, and clear skin by Lumecca. In between, I do a few sessions of the Red-Carpet Lift and Parfaire signature Diamond Glow Silk Peel Facial. Most importantly, don’t forget your sunblock!”

A huge thank you to Dr Winnie Moses for sharing her expert advice!

To find out more about Parfaire Medical Aesthetics and available treatments, visit www.parfaire.com

Telephone: 626-466-3774

Check out Parfaire Medical Aesthetics on Twitter.

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