Some people wax their skis before the first snow. Others book a facelift.
Across Manhattan, Beverly Hills, and Newport Beach, cosmetic clinics are seeing an early-season stampede of clients getting what doctors are now calling “ski bunny face.” It’s the winter cousin of hot-girl summer prep—a blend of sculpted cheekbones, lifted brows, and pore-free skin designed to look good under a helmet and even better at the chalet bar.
Dr. Jeffrey Lisiecki, a Manhattan plastic surgeon, told the New York Post he’s watched his fall bookings more than double in recent years, with facelifts starting around $40,000 and blepharoplasty and fat grafting each averaging $7,500. “Many of these patients mention wanting to have their procedure done and be healed for ski season,” he said.
The “pre-ski glow-up” isn’t limited to scalpel work. Courtney Coons, NP, of PERK Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, said Botox and Daxxify injections climb 40 percent between November and January, with laser treatments and photofacials up 50 percent as people try to “even tone and refine texture before heading to higher altitudes.” Their Pre-Après package runs $11,723—roughly the cost of a luxury ski week in Aspen, but for your epidermis.
In Newport Beach, Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva has seen a 60 percent surge in regenerative treatments like Sculptra and EZ-Gel. She said the filler trend has shifted: “Clients no longer want the chipmunk midface. They want lift and contour that won’t look bloated at high altitude.” Her clinic’s “Après Glow by LEA” package includes ultrasound tightening, cooling therapy for redness, and a HydraFacial.
Dermatologists say the obsession with glow needs grounding in basic skin health. “Cold weather, altitude, and UV exposure can wreak havoc on skin,” warned Dr. Kristina Collins of Austin Skin. Her “pre-ski glow” appointments have jumped 150 percent year-over-year. Her advice: layer a ceramide-rich moisturizer under SPF 50, and use antioxidant serums to shield from wind and glare.
Whether it’s self-care or slope-side vanity, one thing’s clear—this year, the hottest accessory on the mountain is a $10,000 face that looks effortlessly flushed, perfectly frozen, and ready for après selfies before the first run even starts.
The post Rich People Are Getting ‘Ski Bunny Face’ Before Their Winter Trips appeared first on VICE.
