Ocean Clinic's Dr Kaye Predicts 2020's Biggest Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Trends

If 2019 was all about big lips, big brows and even bigger butts, what does 2020 have in store for beauty? We asked Director of Ocean Clinic Group Dr. Kai Kaye what procedures he expects to become more popular this year.

Dr. Kai Kaye

Every year, Dr. Kaye attends many major cosmetic surgery conferences around the globe - as well as organising the Marbella International Plastic Surgery Summer School - so he always has his finger on the pulse of the next big thing. Here are his top 5 cosmetic and plastic surgery trends for 2020….  

1) Lip lift

A lip lift is a surgical alternative to lip fillers. It adds volume to the upper lip by removing a section of tissue from beneath the nose. This pulls up the lip into a more youthful position (ligaments loosen and weaken as we age meaning lips droop).

The ideal distance between the top lip and nose in the classically proportioned adult female face is 11 to 13 millimetres, however, that distance elongates by one to three millimetres every decade we age. A lip lift restores lips to their ideal position in less than an hour, performed under local anaesthesia, with the scar hidden beneath the nose. 

2) Buccal fat removal

While adding fat to the cheeks remains a highly popular treatment, slimming the cheeks is also starting to gain traction. Buccal fat removal involves removing fat from the lower cheeks.

The surgery is suitable for people with large buccal fat pads (often a hereditary trait), which give them a child-like appearance.

The fat is removed from inside the mouth, meaning there are no scars and the procedure takes around 20-minutes. The result is a more elegant and mature-looking face. Buccal fat removal is not recommended for people in their 20s because buccal fat pads shrink with age and there is a risk that removal could cause hollowing in the long term.

3) Non-surgical body toning and sculpting

New technology means non-surgical body toning and sculpting is really starting to take off, with impressive results on offer. Treatments like Emsculpt and CoolTone have shifted non-surgical body contouring from being about volume reduction and skin tightening to actually being able to build muscle mass.

Both give the body an intense workout while the patient lies still for 30-minutes. Creating 20,000 muscle contractions, Emsculpt can be used on the glutes, abs, obliques, biceps, triceps, thigh muscles, and calf muscles, while CoolTone can strengthen muscles in the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. Another new electrical muscle stimulation machine, TruSculpt Flex claims it can increase muscle mass by an average of 30% in two weeks with four 45-minute treatments.


4) New fillers

A new generation of injectable fillers is coming in 2020, some of which can last as long as four years. This is great news for people who currently have to visit their practitioner every 12-18 months. These fillers more closely mimic the texture of skin and are designed to match different parts of the face. For example, Radiesse, a synthetic calcium filler that acts as an extension of the bones can be used in the cheekbone area for a high cheekbone look, or around the jaw.

Another new product is Restylane Kysse, which is designed especially for the lips. It has a super soft texture to give a more natural look and feel, and can last up to nine months. It also promises reduced swelling after injection. 

5) Fuller jawlines and chins

Strong, defined jawlines and chins will be a big trend in 2020. These will be achieved both surgically - with implants and fat grafting - and non-surgically with filler. And it’s not just for men; women also want a more angled appearance. An angle of around 125 degrees is considered to be ideal for women's jawlines (think Rihanna and Angelina Jolie).

To achieve the desired angle, filler or fat is used to fill out the back of the jaw and visually separate the jaw from the neck. To tackle a weak chin and make sure it’s in proportion with the rest of the face, it can be built out using an implant filler, fat or filler. Finally, filling in the transition from chin to jaw ensures there are clean lines. 

A more subtle look for 2020

Overall, Dr. Kaye believes a more natural look will be on-trend in 2020. While shapely bottoms will still be in fashion, they won’t be so extreme, remaining more in proportion with the rest of the body. Breasts too will be smaller.

“We are increasingly seeing requests for smaller sized breast implants, as well as more women having their implants removed. Either they’re choosing to go without or swapping them for smaller implants,” he says.

“Women want a more natural look and because of that, hybrid augmentations - using both implants and transplanted body fat - are becoming more popular.”

Looking ahead, patients will be seeking more subtle improvements, combining surgical and non-surgical “tweakments” to finesse their appearance. “Thanks to ever-advancing technology and surgical techniques, procedures can increasingly be carried out without scarring and with minimal downtime. It’s an exciting time for surgeons and patients alike.”

Thinking about a surgical or non-surgical treatment in 2020? Why not make an appointment for a consultation?