How to avoid looking overdone

Whether or not someone looks “overdone” is purely subjective. Maybe you think they look overdone, but they’re happy as a clam. Talking with friends about their treatments can be a real minefield. It isn’t limited to aesthetic procedures like botox and filler, either. Adults choose lots of forms of personal expression–dying their hair, eyelash extensions, tattoos, piercings, and surgery. Their personal expressions aren’t hurting anyone else, even if it’s not what you would do. So why are we so afraid of looking overdone?

It comes down to two things: fear of the unknown (How will I look?) and giving up control over the outcome to your provider (me). One major way you can reduce your chance of being unhappy with the outcome is to shop around for a provider. I’ve provided lots of my own ideas and philosophy in previous blog posts so that you can feel like you know me before you ever come in. Same with my social media, it’s all there to help you tell whether we’re a good fit.

But there are also some practical ways you can increase the likelihood that you’re happy with your final result and don’t look overdone:

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1. Start with regenerative treatments

Regenerative treatments like chemical peels and platelet rich plasma (PRP) cannot change the way you look. They only enhance your existing features by refining skin and tissues. Chemical peels lift pigment, reduce acne, refine texture, and stimulate collagen formation (firm thin skin like around your eyes).

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Platelet rich plasma can be used in several ways to reverse the aging process. It can be microneedled into the skin of the face to brighten and refine skin texture, it can be injected into the undereye area to reduce blue/purple discoloration and firm skin, and it can be injected into the scalp to regrow thinning hair. These treatments are an excellent first step because they allow you time to get to know your provider and develop a sense of trust and comfort with the treatment process, and it’s impossible to look overdone.

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2. Start low, go slow

Most of my filler patients choose a treatment plan that allows them to come in for multiple treatment sessions for small amounts of filler. They never look very different after any treatment, in fact it’s more likely that they will see an underwhelming result after the first one because it is so subtle. They also never have much swelling or bruising, because we only did a small treatment. Each time they come in we compare the current day’s photo with the first photo we ever took together, to decide whether we’ve reached a good place to plateau, or whether there’s improvement to be made. This also allows us to get you where you want to go with the least amount of filler possible. It’s very common in my office to have lip filler done over two sessions to give you the best possible outcome.

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3. Choose non-permanent treatments

Treatments like botox for wrinkles and most dermal fillers are reversible. We never rely on that to rationalize doing questionable treatments, but it makes a lot of people feel more comfortable when they know something can be undone if they change their mind. Botox only ever lasts 2-5 months, and while fillers can last a long time, most of them can be dissolved. There are other treatments like Sculptra and Radiesse that cannot be reversed, and you should ask about any treatment’s reversibility before going ahead with treatment.

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You should wait to move forward with any treatment until you feel the benefits outweigh the risks. Talking with your provider can go a long way in reducing your fears, so don’t hesitate to book a consult or follow up with me for some relaxed chat time.