Is aging a disease?
In general, aging is not recognized as a disease by physicians and health organizations. Aging is mostly considered something universal and inevitable. However, the decay of the human body that comes with age makes the appearance of many diseases more likely. But there are also opinions that see aging more concretely as a disease, a disease complex, or at least as a syndrome. Going one step further, this could implicate a larger future involvement of the pharmaceutical industry in the research and development of anti-aging products, and even life extending drugs. As of now, the classic anti-aging market is still mostly dominated by big cosmetics and personal care companies, like L’Oreal, Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, and Unilever.Hunting young consumers
Anti-aging is a marketing term. Unfortunately, the term itself indicates that aging is something negative and that the potential consumer should buy any product necessary to slow it down. Although the market shows a growing male segment, it is still heavily dependent on its female consumers. That is coherent with a specific image of women which has its roots in much of 20th century advertising, where female consumers were told to be aware of aging and to look as young and good as possible - for their male partners. A 2021 survey among women showed that millennials are starting to use anti-aging products at an average age of 26, while today’s 55-year-olds started using such products at an average age of 47. Accordingly, industry experts state that the targeted age for anti-aging products nowadays starts at around 25.Botox – the anti-aging star
One of the most prominent products used in anti-aging is botulinum toxin, better known under its first brand name Botox. Originally a dangerous neurotoxin, it was in the early 90s when researchers found its positive effect on wrinkles. In 2002, pharmaceutical company Allergan gained FDA approval to market Botox for cosmetic purposes. Botox is injected directly into parts of the patient’s face and the wrinkle reducing effect lasts around six months. Beauty- and youth-obsessed Hollywood played a huge role in the promotion of Botox. The fact that during Botox treatments some celebrities bizarrely changed their looks did not break the hype about it, and soon it became attractive to a broader audience. Today, injecting botulinum toxin for anti-aging is the world’s most performed non-surgical cosmetic procedure. The global market for botulinum toxin is currently estimated at between six and seven billion U.S. dollars.
