The art of facial aesthetics has really changed over the last couple of decades and nowadays there are fundamental principles that need to be addressed when creating a natural balanced look.
In the past, there was a tendency to ‘chase lines’ by plumping up deep lines and paralysing muscles with no real thought going into considering what, exactly, makes the face look older. Unfortunately, this trend persists in many of today’s practitioners leading to unnatural results that end up putting everyone else off treatments. The balance of the person’s face is ‘off’ – it just doesn’t look quite right. The face might not move correctly or the cheeks might be too full. The upper face might be smooth and line-free while the lower sags and hangs loose. There are a multitude of ways that catch the eye and just look plain wrong! The sad thing is, it doesn’t have to be this way. With just a few key principles we can apply to everyone when we assess the face we can create a refreshed, rejuvenated look that looks natural. The idea is not to look ‘done’, but to look the best version of you.
So what are these amazing principles? Well, it isn’t exactly rocket science – the core principles are:
● Make sure the skin quality is up to scratch
● Replace volume in the areas that have lost it and structure where it has changed
● Work on the lines and wrinkles
A rather unflattering analogy I sometimes have used when discussing these principles with my patients is that of renovating a house. First of all, you make sure your building materials are up to scratch (skin quality), then you take care of the structural problems in the brick and woodwork (volume and structure). Lastly, you do your plastering and wallpaper (lines and wrinkles). Out of these key principles the one that seems to get all the attention is the last one – literally papering over the problems!
It may seem to be a very small list but each step does hold a number of considerations. When we look at skin quality it must be looked at as a whole. The surface – is it dull, scarred or have large open pores. The texture – is it uneven or has it lost its elasticity? Are there spots, blemishes or ageing warts? Is there a pigment issue? All of these and more must be taken into account. Similarly, the other two key principles need to be fully explored and addressed.
The modern and professional approach to facial assessment will take all of these factors into account to give a balanced look that you can be confident looks and feels natural. Your aesthetic practitioner should aim to devise a plan for your treatment that is built on over time, each stage adding to the overall look. The plan should be regularly reassessed and adjusted to changing needs all the while keeping the look natural and refreshed, not ‘done’.
