The desire to deny the natural way of ageing is growing more and more popular around the world, from botox to preventative creams to surgery, people don’t want to age naturally.
Botox is the top non-surgical aesthetic procedure worldwide, and many women over the age of 40 have been using it for a long time. But now the age has lowered, with women as young as 20 begging to get preventative Botox procedures.
Age–reducing surgeries or facial rejuvenation procedures are becoming increasingly popular as well. The surgeries claim to remove roughly 10-15 years from the patient’s appearance by tightening muscles, removing excess skin and repositioning fat. The main procedures include face lifts, brow lifts and eyelid surgery to address sagging skin.
Anti-ageing creams are one of the biggest markets in the world right now, with women representing roughly 70 per cent of the revenue base, the men’s segment is suspected to become the fastest growing category. Gen Z and Millennials are also growing in this market, by purchasing preventative skincare to help reduce signs of ageing.
Now Kathryn Thomas is going to dive deeper into the pressure to stay looking young in a new series.
Young Forever: The Death of Ageing? is a brand-new two-part series on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, where Kathryn will explore the many paths people are taking in the pursuit of extended youth and longer life.
Kathryn will show the surprising strategies and everyday lifestyle changes people are making to preserve their youth. Along the way, she will be speaking to scientists working to better understand how and why we age.
With social media so prevalent in everyday life, with filters and unnatural faces and bodies constantly being shoved before us, the desire to alter ourselves to stay relevant is greater than ever.
The culture where appearance is constantly judged, and allows ageing to feel less like a natural process and more like something to hide or resist.
Can we really stay young forever, and could we already be witnessing the death of ageing?
Young Forever: The Death of Ageing? airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on 13 April and 20 April at 9.35pm
Words by Nia Hayden
