Beware the slippery slope of doing injectables. Don’t get me wrong injectables are a fantastic way to fight the evils of aging; they are a great alternative to the invasive-ness of surgery and much cheaper. After working in the industry for several years, the problem I’ve seen is that people (both women and men) become addicted. What I mean by addicted is that over time they keep doing more and more, and end up looking like they’re from the land of Loony Tunes!
The typical scenario is that you first come in for a little Botox, swearing to yourself up and down you would never consider filler, after all Botox is a stretch for you as it is. Time goes by and you become more comfortable with the fact you’ve become a regular Botox user, you’ve become friendly with the Derm/Med Spa/Plastic Surgeon office staff and injectors. You start looking in the mirror noticing those pesky laugh lines, the volume loss in your cheeks, under your eyes, etc… So your next appointment you have *the conversation*. You end up with a syringe of Radiesse threaded in you cheekbone area to help pull up your jowls and laugh lines, then a little Juvaderm in the apple of your cheeks, and thinly threaded through your laugh lines.
You leave feeling great, for the next several months you can’t stop looking in the mirror at your fabulous self. As it starts to wear off you make a return appointment thinking maybe I’ll do just a little more this time… and how about some filler in my lips too. You leave feeling like a new person, wow; this just took 7 years off my face! But, the cycle continues… you become a little more self-obsessed, thinking you need more here and here and here… and if you don’t have a good injector who will tell you when enough is enough, you’ll find yourself resembling a cartoon character! And no, most often your family & friends won’t say anything.
So remember, keep your head or should I say face, on straight! If you find that your recent photos are looking vastly different than the ones before you hopped on the filler train, pause and take a step back, ask a good friend if you are starting to resemble Jessica Rabbit, one you know will be honest with you. I’d also like to add some food for thought: Injectors are artists, do your research before you allow anyone to stick a needle in your face. If you find that a Nurse Practitioner is your chosen one, don’t hesitate. Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologist offices often have Nurse Practitioners seeing their injectable patients, and keep in mind this is what they do *all day long*, it’s their gig, they attend classes, seminars, conferences… which allows them the time to perfect the art.
