RealSelf’s year-in-review breaks down what patients chose most this year and how their preferences are evolving.
RealSelf has released its latest Real Talk Report, offering a look at the aesthetic procedures and patient preferences that defined 2025. Drawing on insights from board-certified doctors across the US and millions of consumers on the RealSelf platform, the report highlights the year’s most influential trends and the shifting attitudes behind them.
In 2025, plastic surgery and aesthetic treatments went fully mainstream, with patients prioritizing more natural, balanced results. Celebrities and influencers fueled transparency, while regenerative treatments and minimally invasive techniques offered more undetectable results with fewer risks. The rise of GLP-1 medications also brought a surge of new patients seeking body-contouring solutions, reshaping the landscape of aesthetic medicine and setting the stage for the year’s top trends.
Top trends and takeaways:
- The GLP-1 effect from medications like semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide redefined the landscape for body contouring and facial rejuvenation. Traffic to GLP-1-related content on RealSelf jumped 2,080% year-on-year, and surgeons nationwide reported skyrocketing demand for facial skin tightening and volume restoration, as well as procedures ranging from tummy tucks (the third most popular procedure on RealSelf in 2025) and arm lifts to full body lifts to remove sagging skin. Dr Adam Tattelbaum in Maryland noted a “huge uptick in skin tightening procedures after massive weight loss,” including arm lifts, Fleur-de-lis tummy tucks, and breast lifts. As for the broader industry impact, Dr Johnny Franco in Austin, Texas, reported that “weight loss took over 10% of the aesthetic spend overnight” and predicted long-term challenges as younger patients present with unprecedented skin laxity. In the nonsurgical space, Dr Ron Shelton in New York City saw booming interest in technologies like Sofwave for facial tightening and crepiness, reflecting a nationwide trend of patients seeking subtle, post-weight-loss refinements.
- Smaller implants and “ballerina” breasts took center stage. As breast augmentation remained the most popular procedure on RealSelf, the shift toward natural-looking breast enhancement accelerated in 2025, with patients favoring subtle fat grafting or smaller implants. Dr Anna Steve in New York City saw her patients choosing small volume implants for “often undetectable breast augmentation results,” while Seattle’s Dr Suzette Miranda sees the quest for “ballerina breasts” as a move toward a more natural, balanced look that complements patients’ unique anatomy and lifestyle. Dr Shahram Salemy noted that average implant sizes dropped from 300–400cc to 185–285cc as patients prioritized proportion over size. Movita breast augmentation was the fourth most popular surgical procedure on RealSelf in 2025, and many surgeons, including Dr Urmen Desa in Beverly Hills, cited Motiva as their patients’ preferred choice. Dr Desai called the desire for smaller implants, placed under the fascia (not fully under the muscle) part of “a broader wellness trend: aesthetic enhancements that feel personal, functional and enduring rather than overt or high-impact.”
- Minimally invasive facial optimization and skin regeneration also surged this year. Patients increasingly sought subtle facelifts and facial balancing to restore youthfulness without obvious signs of work. Dr Kevin Tehrani in New York and Dr Ali Sajjadian in Newport Beach reported rising demand for biostimulators like PRP/PRF and microtox (also known as “baby Botox”), along with fillers that can offer artfully placed, natural-looking volume. Post weight-loss patients gravitated toward biostimulatory fillers like Sculptra (the second most popular nonsurgical treatment on RealSelf this year), as well as fat-derived options like Renuva and the new body filler alloClae. Dr S. Alex Earle in Miami calls alloClae “perfectly aligned with where aesthetics is heading: natural, long-lasting, and regenerative.” These new-generation fillers can give patients soft, long-lasting results without the downtime of a fat transfer procedure.
- Rib remodeling became more mainstream for sculpting elegant curves. Dr Earle noted its longtime popularity in South America for creating traditionally feminine proportions, while Dr Franco described it as “enhancing the entire frame of a person, to create curves and a shape where in the past the only option was to enhance the buttock or hips to make things larger.” He continues, “Now patients can keep their pilates bodies—sleek, fit and contoured.”
“In 2025, we saw a remarkable shift in how patients approach aesthetics, prioritizing natural, balanced results that dovetail perfectly with the broader wellness trend,” says Minou Clark, CEO of RealSelf, in a release. “Patients are making informed choices, seeking results that enhance who they already are, and sharing their beauty journey more openly than ever before. Combining insights from millions of consumers with the firsthand perspectives of plastic surgeons and aesthetic experts, we get a full picture of what’s driving decisions in the real world and how emerging trends like post-GLP-1 body contouring and subtle, functional enhancements are reshaping the industry.”
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