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Dr. Tyna Moore · 2026-08-14 · Tyna Moore (host), Anthony Youn

The Truth About Cosmetic Surgery & Aging | Dr. Youn

23 research-tied claims examined: 1 contradicted 20 supported 2 unverified

20

Supported by research

0:04:41Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Patients who are significantly overweight have a higher risk of surgical healing complications, including abscesses, wound necrosis, and infection.

"the studies are pretty straightforward that, you know, if you are significantly overweight, you're going to have a higher risk of healing complications, you know, higher risk of of abscesses, higher risk of, uh, necrosis of your wounds, infection. All of that increases." (said at 0:04:41)

The evidence supports the claim that significantly overweight and obese individuals (typically defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) have a significantly increased risk of surgical wound healing complications. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses across plastic surgery, body contouring, and broader surgical populations show that obesity is associated with higher rates of surgical site occurrences, wound infections, dehiscence, seromas, and fluid collections compared to normal-weight individuals.

0:09:53Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Aging naturally leads to facial volume loss through fat loss, muscle atrophy, and bony atrophy and shrinkage of the skull and facial bones.

"And when you get older, just aging in and of itself causes you to lose fat in the face, but also causes the muscles to actually atrophy a little bit and the bones to actually atrophy. Our actual bony shape of our skull and of our facial bones actually shrinks as we get older." (said at 0:09:53)

Published anatomical and aesthetic reviews confirm that intrinsic facial aging involves multi-layered volume loss and structural changes across all tissue layers: atrophy of deep and superficial fat compartments, muscle atrophy and tone alterations, and localized bone resorption and remodeling of the facial skeleton (such as the maxilla, pyriform aperture, orbits, and mandible).

  • supports: [Skin ageing-General features of facial ageing and therapeutic choices]. (Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie 2019) · cited 14x in the literature
    "Indeed, ageing is obviously not restricted to skin but also concerns underlying tissue such as muscle, fat tissue and supporting bone. In this article, we provide a clinical and physiopathological analysis of the ageing of skin and of the various types of ageing... Next we describe the general modes of facial ageing for the subcutaneous structures, first those of the skin muscles, which compensate for their atrophy by means of permanent hypercontraction that result in dynamic wrinkles, then those of fat tissue in which ptosis can occur, coupled in some cases with atrophy and loss of the fullness and harmonious facial curves of youth, and those of supporting bone structures and preferential areas of resorption" (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Rejuvenation of the ageing face and the role of orthodontics: Guidelines for management. (Journal of orthodontics 2022) · cited 4x in the literature
    "Resorption below the mental foramen, reduction in alveolar height, loss of bone at the chin region, and relative increase in size and shape are signs of an aged mandible. Epidermal thinning and decrease in collagen in combination with the effect of gravity and various external factors contribute to the ageing of the skin. Atrophy of the superficial and deep fat, changes in ligamentous tissues and changes in muscle structure, position and tone, all contribute to the stigmata of the aged face." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:12:56Anthony Younsupportedhigh

Weight loss causes facial fat cells to shrink rather than disappear, allowing them to expand again with subsequent weight gain unless surgically removed or destroyed non-invasively.

"fat in and of itself, unless it's actually removed or it's killed off, it shrinks, but it does not necessarily just disappear. So you should be able to with weight gain that fat should be able to come back. The only time it doesn't, like I said, is if, let's say, you remove it via liposuction, or there are now treatments that we have that can actually destroy fat cells non-invasively." (said at 0:12:56)

The speaker's statement accurately reflects adipocyte biology and adipose tissue dynamics. Landmark human studies demonstrate that total adipocyte number remains remarkably constant in adulthood, even after substantial weight loss, because reduction in fat mass occurs primarily through decreased adipocyte volume (cell shrinking) rather than cell loss. Consequently, subsequent weight gain allows existing adipocytes to re-expand unless the cells are permanently eliminated through surgical excision (such as liposuction) or non-invasive fat-reduction technologies (such as cryolipolysis or focused ultrasound, which induce adipocyte apoptosis/necrosis).

0:13:40Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Repeated dynamic facial expressions cause inset facial wrinkles, which is why paralyzing movement with Botox prevents wrinkle formation.

"the wrinkles that you create, you know, and people who have really dynamic faces, you know, like a Jim Carrey-type person where they're making all these extreme facial expressions, creating a lot of wrinkles at the time, if you are like that, then those lines can get inset... if you're not moving your eyebrows, you're not going to create wrinkles there. That's how Botox works." (said at 0:13:40)

The literature supports the claim that repetitive dynamic facial muscle contractions create skin creasing that gradually imprints over time into static, inset facial wrinkles. Botulinum toxin (Botox) works by relaxing or immobilizing these target facial muscles, reducing repetitive mechanical strain on the dermis and thereby preventing dynamic lines from transitioning into permanent static wrinkles at rest.

0:17:50Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Studies comparing SMAS facelifts and deep plane facelifts show that both techniques have similar longevity of surgical results.

"'I get better longevity.' Well, actually there are studies that have compared them and found to have similar longevity." (said at 0:17:50)

Systematic reviews and comparative studies evaluating SMAS and deep plane facelift techniques indicate that both approaches provide durable, long-term aesthetic outcomes with high patient satisfaction, and deep plane techniques have not demonstrated superior longevity compared to traditional SMAS approaches.

0:17:30Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

No studies have demonstrated that deep plane facelifts produce better scarring outcomes than SMAS facelifts.

"The reason why some people are proponents of the deep plane facelift is they claim that the results last longer, that maybe it scars better because you're not pulling the skin as much cuz you're pulling everything kind of all in one big piece. Um but neither of them have actually been neither of those claims have ever been conclusively proven. It's just what they say. It's like, 'Oh, you know, I get uh better scars.' Well, no study's ever shown that." (said at 0:17:30)

Published comparative studies, randomized trials, and meta-analyses evaluating deep plane versus superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) facelifts have primarily assessed general aesthetic correction, patient satisfaction, longevity/revision rates, and complication risks (such as hematoma or nerve injury). Systematic reviews comparing these techniques demonstrate comparable safety and outcome profiles, with no controlled evidence establishing that deep plane facelifts yield superior scar quality or better scarring outcomes compared to SMAS facelifts.

0:22:54Anthony Younsupportedhigh

The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

"There's actually American Board of Cosmetic Surgery as well. This is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, so it's kind of its own board" (said at 0:22:54)

The claim is accurate. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) does not recognize or include the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) as a member board. The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the sole ABMS-recognized board for plastic surgery.

0:29:49Tyna Moore (host)supportedmoderate

Scientific data shows that strength training improves skin collagen, facial structural preservation, and bone density maintenance.

"I would plug uh strength training here because there's some data that has come out showing that people who strength train just have better collagen, better facial structure, like you hold onto your bone better." (said at 0:29:49)

Extensive meta-analytic evidence confirms that resistance and strength training effectively maintain and improve bone mineral density across key skeletal sites. Additionally, recent clinical trial data demonstrate that resistance training enhances dermal extracellular matrix gene expression, skin elasticity, and dermal thickness in middle-aged adults, supporting the speaker's remarks on collagen and structural bone preservation.

0:31:10Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Radiofrequency microneedling heats the deep skin layers to denature collagen, leading to tighter tissue as it heals.

"I do something called Morpheus8. It's radio frequency microneedling. So essentially what it is is heating up the deep skin to create that collagen that kind of denature and as it heals it heals in a tighter fashion." (said at 0:31:10)

Radiofrequency microneedling works by delivering thermal energy directly into the deep dermal layers through microneedles. Histological studies in humans confirm that this induces localized collagen denaturation and immediate thermal tissue contraction, which triggers a wound healing cascade characterized by heat shock protein activation, neocollagenesis, and neoelastogenesis, leading to clinical improvement in skin laxity and tightness.

0:33:20Anthony Younsupportedlow

Women lose 30% of their skin's collagen thickness in the first 5 years following menopause.

"Well, and studies are also showing that in the first 5 years after menopause women lose 30% of the thickness of the collagen in their skin. 5 years, 30% loss." (said at 0:33:20)

Published cross-sectional and observational studies examining skin connective tissue in postmenopausal women demonstrate that estrogen deficiency leads to a rapid loss of skin collagen content and dermal thickness following menopause. Landmark studies measuring skin collagen content (notably by Brincat and colleagues) found that approximately 30% of dermal collagen is lost within the initial 5 years after menopause, followed by a subsequent decline of approximately 1% to 2% per year. The certainty of the evidence is low because it relies predominantly on cross-sectional biopsy studies and observational cohorts with small sample sizes.

0:33:35Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Hormone replacement therapy helps mitigate and reduce postmenopausal skin collagen loss.

"And so, going on hormone replacement therapy can mitigate some of that and there are some studies that do show that HRT helps to reduce that that collagen loss." (said at 0:33:35)

Menopause and the associated drop in estrogen are well established to accelerate the loss of dermal collagen, skin elasticity, and dermal thickness. Clinical studies and meta-analyses demonstrate that hormone replacement therapy (systemic or topical estrogen) helps prevent and mitigate this postmenopausal decline by stimulating collagen synthesis and preserving dermal collagen content.

0:34:05Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Men lose approximately 1% of their skin collagen thickness per year starting in their mid-20s.

"Cuz men, we lose 1% of the thickness of collagen every year starting about in our mid-20s, but we don't get that menopause thing where things just ramp up" (said at 0:34:05)

The speaker's claim reflects established dermatological literature on sex differences in skin aging. Classic cross-sectional investigations (such as Shuster et al., 1975) established that dermal collagen content and skin thickness decline in men at a steady, roughly linear rate of approximately 1% per year starting in early adulthood (around the mid-20s). In contrast, women maintain relatively stable skin thickness until menopause, when estrogen deficiency triggers an accelerated phase of dermal collagen degradation.

0:34:15Anthony Younsupportedlow

After the first 5 years of menopause, women lose skin collagen at a rate of 2% per year.

"cuz so for women it's 30% in the first 5 years and then 2% thereafter and that's why women get such thin skin as they get older." (said at 0:34:15)

The statement reflects classic observational findings on postmenopausal skin aging. Studies evaluating dermal collagen content via skin biopsies and skin thickness measurements in postmenopausal women (such as those by Brincat and colleagues) identified a rapid loss of skin collagen in the initial years after menopause (often cited as up to ~30% within the first five years), followed by a steady rate of decline of approximately 1% to 2% per year thereafter in untreated women. Because these estimates originate from observational and cross-sectional biopsy studies with modest sample sizes, the overall certainty of evidence is low.

0:39:20Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Applying a gentle moisturizer before and after retinol ('retinol sandwich') slows retinol absorption to reduce skin irritation.

"You apply a gentle, uh, moisturizer first, then you apply the retinol, and then a gentle moisturizer afterwards. By doing this retinol sandwich where the retinol essentially is the meat or the the filling inside the sandwich, you're going to allow slower, um, absorption of that retinol and it really helps to mitigate some of the irritation of it." (said at 0:39:20)

Applying a moisturizer alongside topical retinoids (such as retinol or tretinoin), often referred to clinically as buffering or the sandwich technique, is a well-established dermatological strategy to reduce cutaneous irritation (erythema, dryness, flaking) and improve tolerability. Layering an emollient or moisturizer reinforces the stratum corneum barrier and slows topical penetration/absorption. Randomized controlled and split-face trials have confirmed that adjunctive moisturizer application significantly decreases retinoid-associated irritation and improves patient tolerance.

0:40:35Anthony Younsupportedhigh

PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotides) used in injectable skin treatments is derived from salmon sperm DNA.

"Now, in Korea, these they're basically it's called PDRN, polydeoxyribonucleotides. And what this is is this is actually DNA taken from salmon sperm DNA that is very similar to what you have, I guess I guess the human body and and salmon there's there's these similarities to it where these are what are called biostimulators where you inject it into the skin and it helps the body to create collagen." (said at 0:40:35)

Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) used in tissue regeneration, skin rejuvenation, and wound healing is indeed extracted and purified from the sperm cells of salmon (primarily *Oncorhynchus mykiss* or *Oncorhynchus keta*). Evidence confirms that PDRN stimulates adenosine A2A receptors, promotes angiogenesis, and stimulates fibroblasts to enhance collagen synthesis.

0:46:33Anthony Younsupportedhigh

Sculptra was originally FDA-approved over 21 years ago for the treatment of facial lipodystrophy in HIV patients.

"So, Sculptra and I've been injecting it for 21 years. It was actually first FDA-approved for HIV lipodystrophy. So, you know, people who have HIV, they're on medications, and oftentimes they lose a lot of the fat in their face. And so, this got approved by the FDA over 21 years ago very quickly to try to help these patients" (said at 0:46:33)

Sculptra (injectable poly-L-lactic acid) was originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2004 specifically for the restoration and correction of the signs of facial lipoatrophy (facial fat loss) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prior to receiving approval for broader cosmetic applications in 2009.

0:52:10Anthony Younsupportedlow

A deep plane or SMAS facelift lasts on average about 10 to 11 years, with a total range of approximately 7.5 to 15 years.

"A facelift takes anywhere from about it lasts anywhere from about 7 1/2 to 15 years. So, when you do a deep plane or a SMAS, you're really looking at average about 10 to 11 years or so. Uh but around that 7 1/2 and the 7 1/2 is going to be, let's say you have a facelift when you're, you know, 72. And maybe you don't have great skin quality, then maybe you'll get 7 1/2 years out of it. The 15 years is going to be that person who's maybe in their mid-40s or having it done early, maybe they have some premature aging or something, then you maybe will get 15 years. The majority of them you're looking at like anywhere from 10 to 11 years is what most studies show." (said at 0:52:10)

Observational cohort studies tracking facelift longevity and the time interval to secondary or revision rhytidectomy support the claim. In a 30-year study of deep plane facelifts, the mean interval between the primary and revision procedure was 10.9 ± 5.1 years, with younger patients (≤53 years) averaging 12.4 ± 5.6 years and older patients (>53 years) averaging 9.3 ± 3.9 years. Similarly, long-term retrospective reviews of SMAS and standard rhytidectomies report average intervals of 9 to 10 years before secondary procedures (and 7.5 years before tertiary procedures), with stable aesthetic outcomes and high patient satisfaction commonly documented out to 10 years.

0:56:25Anthony Younsupportedlow

MRI studies demonstrate that dermal fillers can persist in facial tissues for multiple years.

"we are finding that it may last a bit longer than we initially thought, you know, studies show maybe 1 to 2 years. MRIs are now showing that some filler can last many years." (said at 0:56:25)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated that hyaluronic acid dermal fillers can persist in facial soft tissues for multiple years past their expected clinical resorption window of 6 to 24 months. In an observational study of 33 patients undergoing facial MRI at varying intervals after mid-face filler injections, cross-linked hyaluronic acid remained radiologically detectable in all 33 individuals beyond 2 years, with 21 patients showing persistence at 2 to 5 years, 12 patients at over 5 years, and individual cases lasting up to 12–15 years post-injection.

0:34:23Tyna Moore (host)supportedlow

Scientific research shows distinct waves or accelerations of biological aging occurring in humans around the mid-40s and early 60s.

"that study that came out last year showing like somewhere in your mid-40s and then again in your 60s, early 60s." (said at 0:34:23)

A 2024 longitudinal multi-omics study published in Nature Aging tracked 108 participants aged 25 to 75 and found that biological aging markers do not change purely linearly across time. Instead, human molecular profiles undergo non-linear acceleration at two distinct periods: around 44 years and 60 years of chronological age. The mid-40s transition was characterized by shifts in cardiovascular disease markers, lipid, and alcohol metabolism, whereas the early-60s transition involved changes in immune regulation and carbohydrate metabolism. Because these findings come from a single longitudinal cohort (n=108), the certainty of the body of evidence is low.

0:50:35Anthony Younsupportedmoderate

Younger patients in their 20s and 30s have a higher risk of developing thicker surgical scars than patients in their 60s or 70s due to more robust collagen production.

"And we know that people who are younger, let's say somebody in their 20s and 30s, they have more robust collagen. So, they're going to have a higher risk of a thicker scar than somebody who's in their 60s or 70s where a lot of that collagen, unfortunately, has thinned and they have a lower risk of a thick scar." (said at 0:50:35)

Published literature consistently identifies younger age as a key predisposing risk factor for hypertrophic (thick/fibroproliferative) scar formation compared to older age. Studies evaluating postoperative scar outcomes demonstrate that older patients have a significantly reduced incidence of abnormal or thickened scars following surgical incisions. Histological and cellular analyses confirm that young scar tissue demonstrates significantly higher collagen content and density than scar tissue from older individuals, whereas aged skin exhibits dermal thinning, decreased baseline collagen, and an attenuated fibroproliferative response.

Unverified means no publication matching the claim was located; it does not prove the claim false. Spotted an error? See the corrections policy - disputes from the people quoted are prioritized.