There’s a perception in the media – and, as a result, the wider public – that aesthetics are bad, and that if you want to age gracefully, you mustn’t touch them. After all, if you even step into an aesthetics clinic, you automatically come out with big lips and a frozen forehead, right? Wrong! Unfortunately, this is what we’ve been made to think, through a culmination of factors. So, what is the situation really like? Are aesthetic treatments really the enemy? Well, my aim is to dispel the myths and normalise aesthetics, and to show people that it’s a journey well worth travelling, if that’s what they choose. Read on to find out more…
Once upon a time (i.e. the 90s), aesthetic treatments were just for the rich and famous. In recent years, though, they have become more and more accessible to all, meaning great skin and fresher looking faces are in reach – if that’s what you choose.
However, this – along with a severe lack of regulations regarding who should be performing aesthetic treatments – has led to an increase in non medics deciding to turn their hand at a career in minimally invasive treatments, opening up their own clinics and attracting younger and younger people who want to look like their favourite celebs.
The problem is multifold. You see, the increase in more people seeking out treatments (and the increase in TV personalities openly discussing their treatments) has led to a boom in people from nonmedical backgrounds picking up needles (some of them TV personalities themselves), training over the course of a weekend and opening up their own clinics. Terrifying to say the least, but as there are no solid regulations in place, as yet, this has been allowed to continue for years.
Then, because Sandra down the road has only spent a fraction of time training, and doesn’t have the medical know-how to fix complications (and there are many things that can go wrong if not done by someone who has a sound understanding of what they are doing), this leads to images of botched lips all over the pages of newspapers, magazines and social media.
So, it’s understandable that people have begun to associate aesthetic treatments with danger and, in some cases, disfigurement). Because they only see bad images.
Or so they think…
It’s likely that we all know at least someone who’s had some aesthetic treatments. I’m not talking celebrities; I’m talking friends, family, colleagues… You probably just haven’t noticed because it’s been done well.
You see, aesthetic treatments results should be undetectable. That’s not to say they shouldn’t result in any difference at all. It simply means you should just look fresher. They should be subtle tweaks (that’s why they’re often referred to as tweakments), not dramatic changes to your face. The increase in people seeking out the latter is part of the wider problem, but, thankfully, this is slowly starting to change, with many choosing to dissolve overfilled lips and cheeks and returning to a more natural look.
I always do a consultation before performing any aesthetic treatment, and always seek to discover what a client really wants to achieve before even touching a needle or device. If they’re simply looking to follow a current trend, I try to determine why and advise them against it.
As a medical professional, my role is to provide expert advice and help you achieve realistic results that only serve to enhance your already beautiful features, not change you. I understand that there are people out there who will do exactly that, but that goes against what I and many others in the industry stand for. So, I’d advise anyone out there to steer clear of trends. At the very most, they’ll only provide momentary satisfaction.
As with trends, I advise my patients only to focus on what you are looking to achieve, not what you have seen on others. Keep your focus on your own skin goals. Do you want to reduce the appearance of line and wrinkles? Add a touch of volume where you have naturally lost some? Tackle uneven skin?
If a patient comes to me with a photo of someone else, I always take the time to explain that we are each different and there are many factors that go into achieving a particular result. Age, skin type…they each play a role. So, for instance, if a woman in her 50s comes to me and brings a photo of a woman in her 20s with beautiful lips and ‘flawless’ skin, I always explain that she simply won’t get that same look. However, that we can work to get more realistic results that are more tailored to her wants and needs. It’s very important to never compare yourself to anyone else. You’re beautiful as you are – aesthetic treatments simply serve to subtly enhance what you already have.
Another misconception is that aesthetic treatments simply means needles, but, in reality, it’s so much more than this. From chemical peels and LED light therapy to electro stimulation technology and supplements, there’s a myriad of incredible solutions that can provide great results. It all comes down to what your individual needs are and what will work best to get you those results.
Finally, another myth within aesthetics is that it’s a case of one and done. You come to a clinic, get a treatment done, and that’s it, you instantly look younger and more refreshed. But there’s a lot more to it than just that. Yes, there are treatments, such as fillers, that provide instant incredible results, but they don’t last forever. And not every treatment gives you this instant outcome.
For instance, with many treatments, like LED light therapy, chemical peels and microneedling, you get the best results after a course of treatments, and collagen continues to increase in due course, not instantaneously. Likewise, with anti-wrinkle treatments, results occur between 2 days and 2 weeks after your treatment, and last around three months. Of course, this can vary from person to person, too. And for some, it might be a case of combining treatments to get the best results.
For me, it’s important that all my patients understand that aesthetics is a journey – and should be a joyous journey to be on, too. There’s no quick fix with aesthetics; instead, it’s all about building on results, treatment after treatment, and focusing on your goals to achieve the best possible outcome for you and you alone.
So, let’s start normalising aesthetics and talking about the great results it can achieve when you see the right practitioner with the right accreditations. Talking about it openly will reduce the stigma that sometimes still clouds treatments and, instead, help people to recognise that great skin is within their grasp.
It’s not something to fear as long as you have the realistic expectations and are guided and treated by someone who truly knows what they’re doing, and performs treatments safely and with a genuine care for you, not just the money you’re about to hand over.
Ready to get started on your aesthetics journey? Get in touch! It’d be my pleasure to join you for the ride.
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