You don't have to watch Love Island UK to know that there's been some very loud chatter about this year's new contestants. More specifically, their faces.
In a bunch of viral videos on TikTok, plastic surgeons and cosmetic experts have been filmed guessing the ages of the current cast members. And it's sparked more conversations around why Gen Z is ageing quicker than the generations before them.
Watch: Curiosity got the better of us! Renny asked Dr. Naomi McCullum, a cosmetic physician who runs a luxury clinic called The Manse, everything she'd do to her face. Post continues below.
In one viral video, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr Daniel Barrett guesses the ages of the Love Island 2024 contestants, sharing his opinions on what cosmetic work they think they've had.
Starting with Jess, Dr Barrett guessed she was aged 38. She's 25.
He said she had most likely had lip fillers and a nose job, sharing it's "obvious she's got some work done."
Dr Barrett was then shown a picture of Harriet, who he thought was 42 years old.
She's actually 24.
Referring to what cosmetic work he thought she'd had, he said "cheeks, lips, nose, fake lashes and brows," as well as anti-wrinkle injections.
Next, he was shown two photos of 24-year-old contestant Nicole — one from her Instagram along with her promo picture for Love Island UK.
"Are those two different photos of the same person?" he asked, before guessing her age as 35. He then suggested she'd most likely had lip fillers, as well as anti-wrinkle injections and veneers,
At the end of the clip, Dr Barnett added: "Obviously I don’t watch this show but maybe I should. It’s crazy. Plastic surgery and injectables done wrongly can make you look older."
One comment said, "I actually went clubbing with my Gen Z sister and people legit thought she was older than me. We are A DECADE apart."
So, is Gen Z actually ageing worse than millennials? We had a chat with Dr Nicole Chater from Concept Cosmetic Medicine to find out more.
Is Gen Z ageing differently from millennials?
In short... yes.
While various factors influence how a person ages — everything from genetics to environmental factors play a major role — Dr Chater told us that in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in lifestyle factors when it comes millennials versus Gen Z.
"The millennial generation grew up in a time when UV exposure and its dangers were being touted, the dangers of excessive alcohol, drugs or smoking were also clearly linked with many different health consequences," she said.
"These health messages are not as prominent nowadays. Vaping is a new phenomenon. It simply wasn't around when the millennials were younger. Now, almost every Gen Z that I come across in practice is vaping."
"Unfortunately, the health messaging hasn’t been as loud as it was for smoking, so the younger generation who are very driven to fit in and be like their peers, end up vaping without the full understanding of the harms that it plays on our body, and the skin is the window to what is inside our body. So it shows up as dull skin, which ages prematurely."
According to Tobacco in Australia, use of e-cigarettes was highest among persons aged 16 to 24 years, for both use (32.7 per cent) and current use (11.1 per cent).
While vaping has seemingly been portrayed as the safer and cleaner way to 'smoke', medical experts, including The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), have warned of the long-term health dangers of e-cigarettes on young people.
Dr Chater said, "We know for sure that chronic exposure to nicotine will harm your body and your skin."
"I tell my patients if you want to take care of your skin, before starting your journey doing laser or injectables, you must first start with lifestyle factors, which means protecting it from harmful UV radiation and chemicals such as nicotine."
Can having cosmetic 'tweakments' in your 20s make you look older?
As we touched on earlier, experts say Gen Z's decisions around cosmetic enhancements and 'tweakments' at an earlier age may also be contributing to an aged appearance.
Dr Chater said, "Gen Z, in my opinion, as a group, are more bold in their cosmetic decisions, whether that be with makeup, cosmetic tattoos or cosmetic enhancements. Whether it be lip fillers, or plastic surgery, this generation are led by influencers who have in some cases gone for quite extreme looks."
"Even worse is the content created by and for the brands whose business it is, quite literally, to platform tanning because they make tanning products. The aggressive marketing of tanning oils and accelerators to young people (sometimes actual children) online contributes to the demand for these products."
What are your thoughts on Gen Z's ageing face? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
Feature image: Nine Now.
Love watching movies at the cinema or at home? Take our survey now to go in the running to win a $50 gift voucher!
Top Comments