Inside Gen Z’s obsession with ‘tweakments’ — the plastic surgery trend to create a natural beauty look

Whether you’re fully on board, curious, or completely horrified, we all have our own opinions on non-surgical aesthetic treatments, often referred to as “tweakments”.

For some, it’s as routine as getting a fresh set of highlights, but for others, it’s viewed as succumbing to societal pressures that discourage women from ageing naturally.

Regardless of your stance, these treatments aren’t going anywhere anytime soon and are even becoming more openly talked about.

Recently, influencers have begun lifting the lid on the procedures they’ve undergone to achieve a ‘natural’ look.

One Australian content creator, Sarah Gardner, recently shared a TikTok featuring a selfie of her face on the first slide.

“The untouched face of a 27-year-old,” she wrote.

However, swipe to the next photo, and the reality of the eight different procedures she’s done to her face is unveiled.

These include: Botox in her forehead, tretinoin and antibiotics to treat acne, masseter Botox for jaw slimming, two non-surgical rhinoplasties, a brow lift, a lip flip, and LED masks.

“I don’t believe it’s essential to be transparent, but I think it’s nice for your audience to know if you’ve had work done,” she comments.

Dr Josh Wall, the Medical Director and Founder of Contour Clinics, confirms that ‘tweakments’ are gaining popularity.

“More and more people are coming in wanting to move away from that artificial, overdone look,” he tells news.com.au.

“The entire goal of a tweakment is that no one knows you’ve had anything done, so you still look like yourself.”

He says that the primary motivation for many is to feel more confident.

“Tweakments can significantly enhance someone’s confidence without altering their facial appearance,” he notes.

“Some may also be considering eventual surgery but prefer to ease into it without a drastic change. They are subtler and less invasive.”

And people of all ages are seeking these types of procedures.

“You have people as young as 20 coming in for issues that bother them, for example, their lips, and for older groups, it’s often about their skin – they want treatments that stimulate collagen and make them look younger, fresher, healthier, and more alert without actually changing their facial structure.”

Masseter Botox or facial slimming is another highly sought-after tweakment and it typically lasts about six months.

“It creates a more feminine face shape and also helps those who clench and grind their teeth,” he explains.

Overall, he believes the popularity of tweakments is here to stay. “Ten years ago, it was all about trying to look like a Kardashian,” he said. “But now it’s all about achieving a natural, anti-ageing look.

“That will always be timeless”.