This article is part of the Future of Appearance, a collection of articles that investigates what we will look like in 20 years.
Twenty years ago, Botox was a novelty, social media (and the unrealistic beauty standards it enforces) didn’t exist, and the idea of injectable body contouring seemed implausible. Fast forward to today, and aesthetic interventions have become more sophisticated, more accessible and more normalised than ever. But what about the next two decades? What radical innovations are set to redefine how we approach cosmetic work — and what we’ll look like as a result?
From bioengineered implants and artificial intelligence-guided injectables to scarless surgery and gene editing for anti-ageing, the future of aesthetic medicine is poised to blur the lines between science and science fiction. Experts say we’re no longer just talking about smoothing over wrinkles or refining silhouettes — this is about rethinking the entire process of ageing, regeneration and self-optimisation.
“This will sound like science fiction, but it is not,” says plastic surgeon Dr Eva Siolo. “We are learning to manipulate the process of ageing at the cellular level. In 20 years, we could design the way we age — making it painless, controllable, and, perhaps, optional.”
How stem cells will transform plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is on the cusp of a revolution — one where regeneration replaces restoration, and where scars, implants and artificial fillers could soon become obsolete. At the heart of this shift is stem cell therapy, a field that is unlocking the body’s ability to repair itself rather than relying on external modifications.
Stem cells are unique because they can develop into different types of cells, including skin, muscle and even bone. Scientists have long been exploring their potential in regenerative medicine, but now their role in aesthetics is becoming increasingly clear. Instead of simply filling in lost volume or tightening ageing skin, stem cells could restore tissue at a cellular level, reversing damage rather than masking it.
Plastic surgeon Dr Tze Kong explains that reconstructive surgery operates on a hierarchy. “At the most basic level is salvage, where the priority is keeping the patient alive, with no concern for aesthetics. Next comes functionality, where reconstruction begins — what’s implanted may not look great, but it works. Most modern cosmetic surgery falls under restoration, aiming to replace what was lost in a way that looks ‘nice’, even if not perfect. Finally, the ultimate goal is regeneration — restoring the original form in its perfect condition.”
It’s at this final level where stem cell therapies could have the greatest impact. One of the most anticipated breakthroughs is the ability to eliminate scarring entirely. “Humans heal by forming scars. In fact, all animals do, but only after a certain point in development [post embryonic]. Before reaching that point, they heal without scars; they regenerate. If we unlock the mechanisms behind regeneration rather than scarring, many of the downsides of surgery disappear,” says Kong.
Scientists are now uncovering the precise cellular pathways that allow embryos to heal flawlessly. If these mechanisms can be reactivated in adults, it could mean not only more natural-looking surgical results but also a complete rethinking of how the body repairs itself.
Beyond scarring, regenerative medicine is also changing how doctors approach reversing the signs of ageing. “In the face, preserving the underlying skeletal structure is an underdeveloped part of aesthetics. Most surgery and treatments aim to rejuvenate the overlying soft tissues and skin,” says consultant plastic surgeon Nora Nugent. But ageing isn’t just about sagging skin; bone loss also plays a huge role in facial structure changes over time.
“As we age, we lose bone density, especially women. Gravity also affects fat distribution, so nano-grafting and fat grafting are already widely used to restore volume,” agrees skin health expert Jasmina Vico. “In the future, bone grafting will play a major role, alongside keyhole surgeries to replace lost facial bone structure.”
The toolkit for facial rejuvenation is evolving rapidly, moving beyond traditional implants and injectables. “Future technologies like 3D-printed skin, biogels and smart hydrogels will allow us to regenerate skin tissue more effectively,” continues Vico. “Tissue engineering and 3D printing will also play a major role — you might even be able to alter the shape of your face using a kind of scaffolding, eliminating the need for traditional fillers. Instead of injecting something, you could 3D print and apply a smart patch tissue — either topically or surgically — that mimics the vascular system to rebuild missing tissue and restore lost volume in areas like a recessed chin or hollow eyes.”
Some of these innovations are already making their way into aesthetic medicine. Micro-coring by Ellacor, a system that removes tiny sections of skin to trigger tightening that is currently only available in select US medical aesthetic clinics, is already reshaping the way we think about lifting and firming — mimicking the way a tailor takes in fabric to refine a garment.
The ultimate goal? To move away from modifying the body with artificial materials and towards seamlessly regenerating what was lost or reworking what we have. “We are nearing the completion of research into converting human tissue into off-the-shelf products,” says Siolo. “Soon, we will have fillers derived from human adipose tissue [body fat], combined with 3D-printed, custom-designed implants that integrate seamlessly with the body — without risk of rejection.”
In other words, the future isn’t about simply fixing the body, but growing it anew. Skin, noses and even bone could be regenerated rather than reconstructed.
The advancement of AI
Advancements in artificial intelligence are poised to revolutionise surgery, transforming patient health monitoring and the surgical process itself. Kong draws a parallel to science fiction, noting: “If you’ve ever watched Star Trek, you might recall the tricorder — a handheld device that scans a person, diagnoses issues and regenerates damaged tissue instantly. While we’re not there yet, we may not be as far off as it seems.”
One way to catch up is via AI-guided injectables — compounds that continuously monitor and adjust the body’s biological functions. Kong envisions a scenario where a device, akin to a smartphone, perpetually scans one’s face or body, detecting needs and making precise micro-adjustments to maintain optimal health and appearance. He compares this to how Google Maps recalculates your route when you take a wrong turn, suggesting that such a system could continuously fine-tune treatments to preserve a natural, youthful state, thereby slowing ageing and rendering aesthetic interventions more seamless and natural.
Advanced technologies that harness biology were once the preserve of large beauty conglomerates with well-funded research and development labs. Now, they are being opened up to the rest of the industry, driving innovation.
The integration of AI into daily health routines extends beyond clinical settings. Aesthetic expert Vico anticipates the advent of at-home skin scanners and digital mirrors, enabling individuals to track their ageing in real time by comparing current images to past ones. “You might get reminders like, ‘You were sitting in the park last week — now you have a sunspot,’” she explains. Furthermore, the development of digital twins — AI-generated models of our bodies — could monitor organ health and physiological changes, integrating data on diet, sleep and overall health into a comprehensive system.
As this emerging technology will require companies to collect huge swatches of medical data, there are also additional benefits. Need an organ? They will have the data to 3D print you one — though it also raises thorny questions around ownership. “Who actually owns your face at that point?” cautions Vico, adding that these companies could in theory, “sell this data to whoever they want”. She also predicts a future where you can rent different faces using the technology.
Surgeon Gary Linkov speculates that within a decade, his role could involve directing nanobots to perform procedures without even wielding a scalpel. Nonetheless, he expresses concern that the rapid advancement of AI might make plastic surgery more accessible, potentially leading to scenarios where AI or surgical machines operate with minimal human oversight. This underscores the need for thoughtful integration of the technology into surgical practices to ensure patient safety and maintain quality of care.
That’s not to say surgeons will automatically be out of a job. “Every face is different and every patient has different desires and aesthetic goals,” says Dr Felix Li. It’s why he believes AI cannot replace a proper medical consultation and assessment, but rather enhance and facilitate it.”
“I always say to my trainees, ‘Look, you guys are gonna be fine. You’re gonna be in work probably until you retire,’” says consultant plastic surgeon Naveen Cavale, who also believes we are a way off full-blown AI surgery. “Cosmetic surgery is personal and needs to be bespoke and a lot of it is fiddly. I might look at someone’s face and think they need one thing, but it’s only when I go into their face during surgery and I realise that their muscles are really weak, so I’ve got to come up with another plan.”
Will surgery become obsolete?
With gene editing, AI and regenerative medicine accelerating at an unprecedented pace, some experts believe that traditional plastic surgery could one day become irrelevant.
“Face lifts used to be the only way to tighten skin,” says board-certified plastic surgeon Steven Williams. “Now, high-frequency ultrasound and radiofrequency microneedling can buy you a few extra years.” With cell reprogramming — where ageing cells are restored to a younger state — we could remove the need for invasive procedures entirely.
Still, caution tempers optimism. “Concepts like tissue bioprinting, injectable scaffolds and gene editing may become viable, but they require ethical validation and long-term studies. Innovation must walk alongside science — not ahead of it,” warns Dr André Auersvald.
Others are not so sure. Despite the explosion of non-invasive treatments, surgery isn’t going anywhere just yet. “The uncomfortable truth is that skin, time and gravity always win,” says Williams. “Energy-based treatments, injectables and lifestyle changes can delay surgery — but they won’t replace it. Not yet.”
Still, simply because a future 60-year-old could possibly possess the body and mind of a 20-year-old, does it mean we automatically should? “No matter what a lot of my colleagues might be promoting, it’s not necessarily about ‘younger is better’. I personally don’t want to be 20 years old again,” says Cavale. “Why can’t I just be old and wise?”
“The era of ‘perfect’ beauty is coming, and it’s going to wreak havoc on self-image,” says Williams. “The aesthetic industry’s next big crisis is, how do you help people look their best without making them feel like they’ll never be enough?”
For now, the future of plastic surgery is likely to be a fusion of regenerative medicine and traditional techniques, where scalpels and sutures gradually give way to biological interventions. But as long as ageing, gravity and time remain undefeated forces, the demand for surgical expertise isn’t disappearing, it’s simply evolving.
*Note on our images:
We created all lead images in this series using OpenAI GPT-4o’s image generation tool. To do that, we leveraged the ongoing partnership between Condé Nast and OpenAI and generated images that best reflect the expert insights and predictions about appearance found in this collection of articles.
We are aware of the debate surrounding the ethics of artificial intelligence in image-making, and we share concerns regarding creative ownership as well as that of our own image. In this series, we are talking about a world that doesn’t yet exist, and as AI is in so many ways the tool of the future, we felt it was appropriate to experiment with it in this way.
We guided the visuals entirely through written prompts. No external images or copyrighted materials were uploaded or referenced — every image was created from scratch based on our team’s original concepts.
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