HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
It wasn’t so long ago — just last year, in fact — that social media was awash with would-be Kardashians: super-straight shiny hair, bee-stung lips covering blinding white teeth, doe eyes streaked with mascara and a wasp waist dividing an ample butt and prominent breasts. But — in tandem with the rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications — that image is fading fast. Even the Kardashians themselves are deflating, with butts apparently reduced and fillers seemingly dissolved. But as always in plastic surgery, it’s all about the details, and those vary from industry to industry. THR asked surgeons on both coasts to reveal what their clients are asking for these days.
Less (Conspicuous) Is More…
“Lifts and even breast reductions are on the rise, along with tummy tucks to make the midsection look more fit,” says New York plastic surgeon Darren Smith. He also reports a 25 percent uptick in mini arm lifts, which give the area a more streamlined and toned appearance, without the unsightly scars of a true brachioplasty.
“I see a 20 percent increase in women coming in for lifts this year over last,” notes Lyle Leipziger, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at both North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. “And those that want implants only want to go up one bra size.”
…But L.A. Is Gonna L.A
Some things don’t change: L.A. still wants bigger boobs — an average of 200 ccs more per implant than on the East Coast, says plastic surgeon Troy Pittman.
Safer Stuff
Pittman reports that women nationwide are clamoring for Motiva, the new implants approved in September by the FDA that are more biocompatible, meaning there’s less risk of rupture or capsular contraction that results in hardening. “They’ve put to bed a lot of safety issues and are a game-changer,” he says.
“Injectable Backlash”
The country is in the grip of filler fear. Dr. Annie Chiu, who has a practice in Redondo Beach, feels it’s largely the result of social media. “We are facing an injectable backlash, and the filler market has been down in ’24,” she observes. “At first, everyone was encouraged to get that very contoured, overfilled Instagram face, but now there is a real fear of looking weird. My colleagues think that L.A. is more overdone, but there is bad work everywhere, especially Miami and Dallas, and the Housewives of New York don’t exactly have that subtle look.” Chiu points out the counteraction was felt by Kristin Davis when she appeared in And Just Like That. “She is a consummate New Yorker and was attacked online for being overfilled, but she had it corrected and now looks better.”
Howard Sobel, a New York dermatologist, reported that his patients from Los Angeles still want a fuller, more rounded face than his New Yorkers request. “They want an exaggerated feminine look because that gets you noticed, but that look has never been New York. They bring in pictures of celebrities they want to look like, but they don’t even have similar facial structures.”
One alternative to filling with injectables is boosting your own system, including the use of salmon DNA to stimulate regeneration. “For those who crave a lit-from-within glow without the overfilled look, the future of skin rejuvenation is all about biohacking” said dermatologist Anetta Reszko. “Enter growth factors and polynucleotides like Rejuran: the ultimate tools for cellular regeneration, cranking up collagen production and dialing in elasticity, hydration, and that coveted snap-back firmness. This isn’t just skincare; it’s a movement for fresher, firmer, and natural results.”
