It’s official: The days of obvious plastic surgery are over. Previously, plastic surgery used to wordlessly announce itself as one walked through the door. You’d run into a friend or colleague and immediately say, “They’ve had work done.” From breast augmentations to facelifts, everything used to be so visually prominent.
Today, plastic surgery has become far more discreet. You might look at someone and think they look better than ever, without having any idea what changed or why they look generally great. Thanks to advancements in technique and technology, results are increasingly difficult to pinpoint, especially when it comes to facial rejuvenation.
“Facial rejuvenation has seen a massive change over the last several years, with advances in surgical technique but also with innovations in skin care and nonsurgical treatments,” explains Nashville plastic surgeon and The Aesthetic Society Board Member, Kent “Kye” Higdon, MD, adding that to get your desired result, doctors now opt for a more comprehensive treatment plan than in the past, taking into account more than just the surgical solutions.
For example, Dr. Higdon explains that facial surgery intended to give patients a more youthful look has been refined to eliminate that “pulled-back” overdone appearance. Now, facelift techniques such as the SMAS flap, SMAS plication or deep plane lifting are considered together with restoring volume with fat grafting, fillers or a combination of both. “Minimally invasive techniques are also great options for some patients to get a natural result with minimal recovery,” he adds. “We understand that just having a ‘tuck’ isn't enough, and that comprehensive rejuvenation—the lift, the fill and the skin treatments—all work together to get the result that looks more natural than ever.”
Facial rejuvenation isn’t the only plastic surgery that’s led to more subtle results over the years. Rhinoplasty has shifted as well. “Rhinoplasty was often a reductive procedure, taking away a dorsal hump or shortening a long nose,” explains Dr. Higdon. “Now we have advanced techniques that allow plastic surgeons to add as well as subtract, taking advantage of cartilage grafts that add projection, open airways and create subtle refinements that take results from good to great.” According to Dr. Higdon, one of the hottest new techniques in rhinoplasty is the concept of preservation rhinoplasty, which keeps intact much of the nasal bone and cartilage with minimal removal, thereby achieving a more natural and less operated look and enhancing the result.
This new era of plastic surgery isn’t driven by technique alone—it also reflects a broader cultural shift. While more in-your-face plastic surgery was trendy in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, subtle work is now the norm among celebrities and social media influencers alike.
So how can patients help ensure natural-looking results? Dr. Higdon advises taking the time to thoroughly research and connect with a provider—and to confirm they’re board-certified. For plastic surgeons, that means certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery; for facial plastic surgeons, certification through the American Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.
Ultimately, subtle results aren’t just about improved tools or techniques; they're about artistry. With the right expert, friends and colleagues will be wondering your secret to such a youthful appearance instead of automatically wondering who your plastic surgeon is.
