Despite the growth of the retirement demographic, many people feel that society is not looking at its older members with any greater acceptance. A survey conducted by geropsychologists suggests that the majority of those who are over the age of 60 experience consistent problems associated with ageism. As a result, a growing number of older adults are turning toward skin care treatments to combat the visible signs of aging.
Ageism in the Workplace
Being treated differently due to looks isn't limited just to those in their retirement. Problems with ageism begin far earlier, especially in the workplace. The IT industry alone provides a number of examples showing preferential treatments for younger employees and applicants:
- A survey conducted by the IT Job Board found that almost 50 percent of respondents felt it was impossible to get ahead in the IT field after the age of 40; over half of respondents said their age was a detriment in their job search.
- A lawsuit was brought against Google, Inc. by a former employee who claimed wrongful termination based on his age (52 at the time), citing multiple age-based derogatory remarks from coworkers in his evidence.
- The head of hiring at the respected professional social networking site LinkedIn states that over 25 percent of the company's new employment efforts come from college and university recruitment efforts.
And of course, employment that relies heavily on physical appearance, such as the entertainment industry or public relations, puts an enormous amount of pressure on their representatives to look youthful and vibrant as a positive reflection of company image.
Skin Rejuvenation as a Solution
An increasing number of men and women are choosing skin rejuvenation procedures to look younger without surgery. Treatments like skin resurfacing even out skin tone and diminish age spots for a more youthful, luminous appearance. A combination of dermal fillers and Botox injections minimize existing wrinkles while proactively preventing new wrinkles from developing. Statistics show that these nonsurgical treatments are not only effective for achieving a more youthful appearance, but that they are also far more popular than cosmetic surgery.
Nonsurgical procedures were performed almost exponentially more than surgical procedures in 2012. For example, breast augmentation was the most popular cosmetic surgery that year, with nearly 300,000 breast enhancements performed in the United States alone. Yet, this is barely a blip compared to the number of BOTOX injections in the United States, which numbers well into the millions: 6.1 million to be exact. Dermal fillers were also incredibly popular in 2012, with 1.9 treatments performed. The top five most frequently performed nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments all saw an increase from the preceding year; the same cannot be said about the top five cosmetic surgeries.
Cosmetic procedures in 2012 had increased five percent from the previous year for a total of 14.6 million procedures performed, both surgical and nonsurgical. This is a 98 percent increase from a decade ago. However, cosmetic surgery rates overall are declining compared to nonsurgical treatments, largely due to the stigma associated with such procedures. The disapproval associated with cosmetic surgery combined with the lengthy recovery have led more men and women toward noninvasive treatments instead as a solution for achieving skin rejuvenation without stigma or scars. Whether for personal or professional reasons, a customized treatment plan from a skilled provider offers a definitive solution for combating the devastating effects of ageism.
