The “lunchtime procedure” rose to prominence right alongside Botox — hard on the heels of Y2K (apocalypse, averted; world breathes collective sigh), when lasers were said to “tone” the skin, cow-derived collagen was the filler of choice, and many of today’s most beloved baby-step treatments were still but twinkles in their founders’ eyes. As years passed, and the noninvasive landscape evolved, clocking out for an hour became more meaningful.
Recently, however, doctors have noticed a startling shift. “More and more people are seeking long-lasting or permanent procedures — especially millennials, as time is at a premium, and they don’t want to be coming back every six months for ‘liquid lunchtime’ injections, which are expensive and temporary,” says Dara Liotta, a plastic surgeon in New York City, who’s suddenly seeing minor surgeries, like lip lifts and chin implants, edging out no-downtime alternatives.
