Skin Deep Beauty

I think the concept of a healthy balance of body and mind is the most important and difficult challenge we face as women.  A favorite quote:

My body holds my spirit,

The two are intertwined.

If one becomes neglected,

the other falls behind. 

-          Lou Sparks Smith

It is so easy to leave caring for our outside appearance behind.  After all, work, family and the many obligations that are a part of every woman’s life can be all-consuming.

I find it easier to pour a glass of wine, relax and know that my actions are not contributing to the family debt. The problem is, eventually I find don’t feel good about myself. When I drag myself to workouts or yoga, I begrudgingly admit I feel better afterward. I then think about how easy it is to make choices that make my life seem “easy.”  What feels easy in the present is almost never the best long-term choice. My generation is in it for the long term.

Medical aesthetics enhance your appearance - and last longer than the other rituals women undergo for beauty and health.  Unlike makeup application, hair coloring or workout sessions, there is no daily application, root touch-ups or ritualistic sweat session involved.

Why do we stay away from something so beneficial?  Yes, the cost may seem high.  But keep in mind the benefits versus investment ratio.  My theory is that people are victims of the fear factor.  If I didn’t do what I do for a living, I would be the very one who would say… ‘I would never pay someone money to inject a foreign substance in my face.’    I would say this… no doubt, because I have seen so many people whose appearance is …..startlingly unnatural. 

Correctly injected, Botox should create a natural look that doesn’t leave us without expression. Muscles that enhance our appearance should be highlighted, and those muscles that make us look tired and worn out should be diminished.  It’s like a puppet that has strings that are manipulated by the puppeteer.  They can elicit the facial emotional responses that allow true feelings to be expressed.   If you are truly excited and happy, the last impression you want to leave is that of someone who is angry, disappointed or disinterested.  

Dermal Fillers

To keep filler results natural, it is important to avoid creation of too much volume where there was little or none before.   Injecting filler into a space that never existed creates an unnatural, stretched and distorted appearance.  If your mouth and lip area is small, they are probably in balance with a smaller nose and other facial features.  You can enhance smaller lips with some volume, but there is a limit to what the genetic makeup of your body is going to accept without looking unnatural. 

Because any filler replaces lost volume and enhances existing space, the key is to not replace 100 percent of what was there when you were younger. Since the rest of your face has also lost volume and what is replaced should be in balance with what you have lost overall. Going subtle is better with lips -- and remember;  you can always add more but you can’t take it out.

We have unique anatomical bone structure which must be evaluated before any injection. Smile lines that extend from the corner of the nose to the lips are a great place to start.  Injections soften the lines and can produce a dramatic improvement.  As I have emphasized before, the choice of who you go to for injections  is key. Do the research, and choose someone experienced, who takes time to talk to you and can show pictures of their work.  Ask for before and after photos that are not simply passed on from filler companies – but are examples of the injector’s work.

Botox and filler treatments should not result in identity theft.  Afterward, you should look like you… only better, with a softer and less stressed look.   We are living longer, working longer and staying healthier than ever before.  Let’s take advantage of all that is new to help us look better longer too!