Ultimately, we invest in things that we believe are worthwhile to improve our quality of life. The question is, what are the best ways to invest in ourself?
Investing in clothes, time at the gym, healthy eating, learning new things, and building deep relationships are all very important. What I have learned, is that we live in a top down model. Meaning, the first thing we notice when we meet someone is their face, and more specifically, the aging of their skin. A smooth and clear complexion can make that “je ne sais quoi” difference that we all desire. When it comes to obtaining the beautiful skin of our 20s and early 30s, I have three basic tools that I use to help my patients look and feel more confident: a) facial creams and supplements b) lasers, and c) injectable filler and Botox. Each level is indispensable, however I want to delve into the importance of injectable fillers when it comes to re-contouring the face, diminishing wrinkles and fine lines, and providing volume to lift and augment, which takes years off of our appearance.
As we age, the fat pads underlying our skin begin to fade away and we develop a sunken appearance causing the skin to sag. Therefore by strategically providing filler in the places that have diminished, we provide a platform in which our skin can rest and retain a fuller appearance. This is similar to lifting weights to build muscle to offset the loss we experience with aging and therefore keep our body toned and firm.
When looking for an injector, it is key to seek an established practice supervised by a medical doctor. Highly skilled injectors (1000 or more injections) are able to tailor the treatments based on the type of filler (hyaluronic acid fillers vs. collagen stimulating fillers) and design a plan specific to your features. Simply providing more volume to the lips or cheeks without considering skin tone, symmetry, filler type, or the harmony of facial proportions will give an artificial appearance. Injectable filler by a highly skilled injector or medical doctor is very safe as the filler is simply metabolized by our body over 1 to 2 years. The longevity of the filler is affected by our individual levels of oxidative stress and cortisol. In order to fully enjoy the complete benefits of the treatment, it is crucial that stress is kept under control through mindfulness practices.
When I see patients, I am always concerned with the “why”. Why are they truly here and what is it that they are looking to achieve? Is it fuller lips or more self confidence? Generally, it is the latter. Having fuller lips can be one step along the path to more self confidence, but there are other things that I always discuss with my patients so that they can see the full picture of what they are truly trying to achieve. When we can connect to our inner awareness and self love, any support or enhancement we are going to make to our appearance will inevitably have the optimal results. TM
