Before and after Botox brow lift. Notice the smoother skin and the elevated brow. Nonsurgical results last approximately three months. Results in this patient simulate potential surgical results with upper blepharoplasty and brow lift.
The term antiaging is out, as promoted by the beauty publication Allure.
Problems with Antiaging
What’s the problem with anti-aging?
First, this language of antiaging is often vague. Various creams, peels, injections, devices, and cosmetic treatments claim to be anti-aging. What does antiaging actually mean? Less eye bags, lifted skin, smoother wrinkles, etc? We know that even young patients can have dark circles, wrinkles, and eye bags. They don’t need to be “antiaged”.
Second, and more importantly, the term may also constitute age shaming or ageism. Antiaging implies that aging itself is something to avoid. However, as we know, growing older is beautiful, and we don’t necessarily like to recommend looking younger per se, but rather appearing healthy, vibrant, and relaxed for every age. We prefer patients to simply look great and refreshed, regardless of their age.
Solution to Antiaging
Dropping the term antiaging doesn’t mean stopping Botox® injections or facial fillers to enhance cheeks. During consultation, we have a discussion with patients to help prioritize their concerns and then develop a cosmetic surgery treatment plan. For some, it may require surgery to get the desired results and not a product.
If you’ve met Dr. Chaboki and staff, you may have realized that we attempt to use evidence based science to help support our cosmetic surgery practice. For example, we only suspect based on anecdotal, sporadic, and professional guidance that wrinkle relaxers such as Botox and Dysport® might prevent future wrinkles (i.e. years in the distant future). However, we simply don’t know for certain and don’t yet have significant scientific research to support such claims. Read more on Botox and wrinkle prevention.
When a product or service can consistently demonstrate improvement with minimal risk, cost, or downtime, then we may support it, even if our office doesn’t provide that specific product or service. The product or service should have some identifiable, repeatable, and objective improvement, ex. reduce wrinkles, increase skin tone, improve collagen production, etc. It shouldn’t be vague and merely claim “antiaging”.
Read the full Allure article on their position on the term anti-aging.
We support the push to exclude this term in plastic surgery and dermatology. Share your thoughts below.
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