Psychological Obstacles To Aesthetic Intervention

“Why Fit In When You Were Born To Stand Out!”

- Dr. Seuss


I want to bring to light the many stigmas attached to the use of cosmetic intervention as a whole. The idea of beauty in our culture has been warped and misguided by big beauty and fashion marketing for many years, and I am happy that a more inclusive mindset is starting to take hold in our culture that honors everyone’s uniqueness. You can see this in the popularity of tattoos, vibrant hair colors and different body types being embraced and well represented. And cosmetic intervention is no different than the aforementioned choices.

As unfortunate as this may sound, we are very visual creatures. And we have become increasingly more so with the advent of televisions, computers, and phones that constantly feed our eyes and our minds an unending assortment of visual media. But, I believe we can use this powerful trend for the good of the whole, and instead of striving for perfection in ourselves and others and making what we want to see be all about perfection, we can focus on appreciating our unique individuality and self-expression.

The power of choice is incredibly important in our world as it seems we have too many options, but not enough good ones. Here are some thoughts on the “why” behind seeking out aesthetic treatments and practices, and the significant impact they make in people’s lives that you would never know by looking at the surface.

SELF ABSORBED OR SELF EXPRESSION?

Some may say that caring about how you look is a fruitless endeavor that will ultimately make you less of a human, and more selfish. And as always, this could be true. But, in my experience, most people are actually looking to appear more like who they feel they are on the inside, rather than trying to conform to an outside ideal. Whether these people are looking to bring back vitality to their face after a long bout with illness, looking to bring more symmetry to their features, or just want to love what they see in the mirror, none of these reasons are grounds for judgement.

It is important to remember that in countless different ways, we are choosing and augmenting our look to fit our tastes. We do this by going to the gym regularly, getting our haircut and colored, and choosing the clothes that we wear. Some people love to get piercings or tattoos to ultimately express the creative perspective of their internal persona. This way of being a walking canvas is as old as human culture, when changing our aesthetic look meant something to the individual, as well as the culture as a whole. 

Some people seek intervention to fit in more with the general populous, especially if they are having issues like acne, rosacea, or psoriasis. Others seek facial reconstruction because they truly enjoy a very “done” look and embrace standing out in a crowd. It’s time to do away with the taboo that one’s individual choice of how to display their vision of themselves somehow makes them less than, or shallow. I have found that judgement (especially of other people’s personal choices) does more harm to our society than any cosmetic intervention ever could.


INJECT YOUR LIFE WITH CONFIDENCE

Studies prove over and over again that when we feel better about ourselves the more confident we become, which leads to more enjoyable feelings of success and satisfaction in life. This does not mean you have to be “perfect” to be ok in the world, or that the only way to get to the top of your career is to be young and beautiful. What I am saying is that by directly dealing with a few of what you consider to be your personal “rough edges”, you might be surprised by the spring that comes back in your step. I cannot tell you how many men and women who are at first apprehensive about getting BotoxTM, end up telling me how much their outlook on what they felt they could achieve in their lives changed by wiping the worried expression off of their face. There are even scientific studies showing that BotoxTM can help with alleviating depression! And just maybe that change in perspective can inspire other, more thoughtful actions that can lead to a healthier, more balanced life. 

THE MOST COMMON BEAUTY BOOGIEMEN

There’s a lot of conflicting information when it comes to the world of aesthetic medicine and skincare. And I have to say I am always surprised with the amount of widespread urban mythdom that people just assume is true without much merit. Here are some of the largest aversions and fears that I hear about when doing consultations in my office. 

• Fear that someone will know they have had “work” done. Why is getting this kind of work done any different than getting your hair done? It’s time to change this thinking. And seriously, no one memorizes your face.  We look at each other to read expressions and moods, but rarely do people commit to memory every curve and contour. What people will notice is that you look refreshed, rested, and radiant... and they often do not know why. The irony here is the best work should be the least noticeable.

• Fear that they will look different. Which I find funny, because what most people are asking for is to look like a different, better, more refreshed version of themselves! A truly skilled practitioner should be able to not only reassure you, but also deliver a result that gives you the change you’re looking for, without making you look like a stranger in the mirror.Remember that to make you look like a different human altogether would take significant surgical intervention.

• Fear they will look weird and unnatural. This is why it’s important to choose the right practitioner and not go to the cheapest place.

• The fear of living with results they don’t like! Not to worry… BotoxTM only lasts 3 months, and Hyaluronic acid fillers are reversible!

• BotoxTM is a neurotoxin and is dangerous. Remember that BotoxTM has been used medically for over 40 years. It was first used in children for strabismus (wandering eyes).  The medical field relies on its therapeutic use and is the majority of the BotoxTM industry.  Also, it’s good to know that with medical use the doses of BotoxTM can be 20 times higher than cosmetic use, so there is very little risk of long term negative effects in the general populous cosmetically.

• Some people are afraid to start aesthetic intervention because they feel that if at any point they want to stop, they will look worse.This simply isn’t true. What is true is you won’t want to stop because you will love the way they look and feel!  And even if you only do it once, you have just slowed aging during the duration of the effects of your treatment, because products like dermal fillers build collagen, and give long term anti-aging improvements.  

• Spousal (or well-meaning family and friends!)encouragement to not have anything “done” because they love their partner the way they are. But the truth is they are just afraid their loved one will look different! This leads to many secret office visits with the close-minded family members being none the wiser... And by the way, no wonder they think their husband of wife looks great!

• Some fear that they are not worthy of the expense aesthetics or skincare. Again, studies prove over and over again that when we feel better about ourselves the more confident we become, which leads to more enjoyable feelings of success and satisfaction in life. You can actually save more money with investing in your own satisfaction. Spending money on products that actually work, like Mikel Kristi Skincare, will save you from the purchasing of excessive products. Spending money on procedures that make you feel great about your look, will also likely decrease the need for “retail therapy” 
  
  

Don’t be afraid to take care of yourself and give yourself the skin and look that you love. If you aren’t sure where to start, read my book (Available in Early February), Your Beauty Advocate: Cultivate Confidence with this No-Nonsense Guide to Age-Defying Skincare Products and Procedures. For more information, updates on my book release, or your free chapter 1 preview download, visit Your Beauty Advocate here.

Here's to celebrating beauty without judgement! 

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