It is a controversial one this week folks, I want to explore at what point should practitioners turn clients away and acknowledge that their clients facial filler has gone too far! The Telegraph wrote an article on the overuse of cosmetic injectables and described the too-far look as “a term used to describe people whose cosmetic work has accumulated to such a point that they no longer look natural”. I am sure we are all aware of many ‘celebrity’ faces featuring all over the media exploiting their recent facial evolutions, some more shocking than others. At what point did we start to idolise animalistic features? ‘Duck lips’, ‘Chipmunk cheeks’ jaws so sharp they can be considered a health hazard! Some will read that last sentence and think those all sound appealing but what I am trying to establish is when did you stop wanting to look like you? Of course much of what I am writing will be completely subjective, representing a feeling of perhaps many but certainly not all.
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Lil Kim by Nicki Smith
Some of the faces we have watched transform over the years belong to young adults still arguably developing their own identity internally whilst drastically transforming their external appearance. Those who have trained in facial fillers with well established, professional companies would have been taught how to consult and assess any patient wishing to aesthetically enhance their face. We are taught to look at the face in thirds and consider dimensions and proportions, measurements and scales to achieve the best results for our clients. Again another subjective opinion but it unfortunately seems some practitioners are consulting with their bank accounts as opposed to complimenting their clients facial anatomy. Noble Aesthetics is of the opinion that anyone that has a treatment through us is a representative of our brand so we would not perform any treatment that does not represent what we believe.
Social media without a doubt has fuelled a change in how we all feel about physical appearance. California State University Women’s studies professor; Natalie Wilson (cited in Tammy Worth’s WebMD plastic surgery article) states “people get hooked on compliments and praise that come from the results, it makes us feel better and we want that high again.” This can be a drive for people to get continued treatment. It is often said that once you treat one part of your face it can then emphasise another perceived ‘flaw’. At this point it becomes a dangerous game and thats why is it not only important to go to a medically qualified practitioner but also one you have developed clear morals and values encompassing their brand. The overzealous use of filler can result in a client actually looking older as opposed to rejuvenated (CocoRubyTeam, 2016). You’ll often find skilled injectors feel that less is more and they’ll be happy to build your result over a few sessions, as the saying goes ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ But also the amount of facial filler you’ll require is based on your individual anatomy taking in to account various factors. Predominantly what you are trying to achieve (volume loss? Contour?), gender, and the ageing process.
If a client continues to pursue further treatment as they do not consider their face and/or current results to have fulfilled their ideology of beauty, when is the BDD flag raised. Body Dysmorphic Disorder as stated by NHS England (2017) “is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance, flaws which are often noticeable to others.” When we consult a patient we are consulting them holistically this includes ensuring they are of a sound mind and their well being isn’t compromised by ill mental health or contextually traumatic circumstances that they may be currently dealing with. I am not suggesting that anyone that gets various facial treatments with distinctive results as opposed to subtle enhancements is suffering from BDD. But it is definitely something to be assessed and addressed when your client is pointing out flaws that are just not there. Clients who have had a history of going to various practitioners or are wanting frequent treatment without allowing their previous injectables to settle are to be adequately questioned. This is a sensitive topic and one where as a practitioner we need to support our clients, sometimes not towards the needle but instead away!
Dermal filler is amazing at restoring volume loss, enhancing a shape that already exists or creating contours and enhancing the structure within your face, in keeping with what your anatomy allows and ensuring the proportions remain balanced. It is important to also remember that there are always trends that circulate in and out of fashion, this has certainly been the case with dermal facial filler. HA filler is reversible but that does not mean the treatments should not be approached with caution. In the right hands, filler can work wonders in creating fantastic facial enhancements and in turn can help boost a person’s self-esteem, self-worth and overall confidence which can have a hugely positive impact on many aspects of their life. Dermal fillers can sometimes substitute having plastic surgery which comes with far less risk and is financially more obtainable.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but the needle is in the hands of your chosen practitioner, so choose wisely and obtain the results that compliment your natural beauty.
Disclaimer: Much of what is written in this post is based upon opinions of myself and other resources. People are in a position to opt to do what they wish with their faces but I am trying to educate an awareness of choosing a practitioner that suits your ideology. That you can trust uses FDA approved products and that consults appropriately to ensure your have made informed decisions. It is important to be medically assessed to be of good mental health to ensure your treatment is ethically appropriate. Finally, it is important that your practitioner has extensive knowledge on products, injecting strategies and does not falsely promise you unrealistic results.
References: Coco RubyTeam (2016) ‘ Filler Over-Use Syndrome’ available at: https://cocorubyskin.com.au/filler-over-use-syndrome-puffer-face-puffer-fish-looking-lips/
Worth, T. (2018) ‘Extreme Plastic Surgery: How Much Is To Much?’ available at: https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/extreme-plastic-surgery-how-much-is-too-much#2
NHS England (2017) ‘Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)’ available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-dysmorphia/
Lally, M. (2016) The Telegraph:’why everyone’s rushing to fix the too-far face’ available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/skin/why-everyones-rushing-to-fix-the-too-far-face/
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