The data: Gen Zers and millennials outspend older generations across every self-care category measured in an August Aflac report that surveyed 2,000 US adults in March.

Overall, 82% of Gen Zers and 68% of millennials spend on self-care, versus 52% across generations. Per Aflac, self-care included vitamins and supplements, organic food, salon services, meal delivery, fitness apps, mental healthcare, and gym memberships. At least 90% of Gen Zers who invest in their self-care say they spend on vitamins and supplements (92%), organic foods (92%), and meal delivery services (90%).

Why it matters: Younger consumers are prioritizing self-directed wellness over visits to the doctor, assembling their own mix of products and services around lifestyle, convenience, and appearance.

Although younger demographics’ higher spending on mental healthcare offers the clearest link to professional care, the broader pattern suggests they are more willing to spend on feeling and looking well than on routine clinical care. The same survey found that 64% of Gen Zers and 59% of millennials avoid some recommended health screenings, such as blood tests and cancer screenings. While Aflac did not directly link self-care spending with avoiding preventive care, limited budgets may force trade-offs between wellness purchases and clinical services.

Implications for wellness brands and healthcare providers: Consumers plan to maintain or increase wellness and self-care spending, which shows the category’s resilience despite economic pressure. Still, out-of-pocket wellness spending can be volatile, especially among less financially stable younger consumers. As brands compete for wellness dollars, they must prove how their benefits deliver results that improve or last with continued use. They also need to prove cost-effectiveness against competing health and self-care purchases on the digital channels where consumers seek wellness content.

Meanwhile, healthcare providers will want to make preventive care as convenient as consumer wellness. Younger consumers can immediately order supplements or meals or open a fitness app, while clinical care too often means long waits, unclear costs, and time away from work—key reasons Aflac found routine appointments are skipped. Online scheduling, transparent pricing, evening appointments, virtual preventive visits, and consolidated checkups and lab work can reduce that friction.

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