When clients over age 35 come see me, their biggest fear is looking “done.” They do not want to look like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Nor do they want to look like they just had Kylie Jenner’s lips transplanted on their faces. They want to look like younger, refreshed version of themselves.
So how do I help my clients achieve the look they want? First, I spend a lot of time looking at their faces and assessing them as they talk. I take note of distinctive features so I can preserve them as I address their concerns about wrinkles and sagging skin. These women do not want anyone to ask, “Have you had Botox?” They want to hear, “You look fresh and well-rested.” So it is my job to achieve that refreshed, rested look.
Every face is different, but in general, I find the most effective way to achieve a refreshed look is to use a combination of Botox and filler. I am mindful that too much Botox can make a face look plastic; too much filler in the lips can create very full lips. Voluminous lips may delight my Millennial clients but they would leave my clients over the age of 35 feeling very self-conscious.
The key to getting a good result is to understand that there are a lot of moving parts to a face and they are all connected. It is crucial to preserve the structure of the face by using just the right amount of filler in the correct areas to lessen the appearance of nasolabial folds and marionette lines. “Chasing lines” or injecting too much filler in the wrong places can cause an altered look—the look that we’ve seen on the Red Carpet before doctors and nurses started to master the art of injectable cosmetic treatments.
On our first appointment, I recommend bringing in some photos from 10 or 15 years ago so I can see how your features have changed. Unless you specifically ask for a “done” or augmented look, I usually recommend subtle “tweaks” so that when you look in the mirror, what you see will be a closer reflection of how young you feel.
