In my career as a nurse injector, I have seen many interesting things – trends and fads, new uses for cosmetic injectable treatments, and a significant increase in the products available to safely and subtly bring a bloom to your skin, rejuvenate tired sun damaged skins and refresh volume loss and hydration. It was delightful therefore, to have pointed out to me recently by a long-term valued client, a phenomenon that I hadn’t thought too much about but one that is very real in my practice – treating members of three generations from one family. While people are far more likely to share with their peers that they have cosmetic treatments, not everyone tells their mother, or grandmother, or daughter, and while I may be aware of the family connection, I would never say so. The members of this particular family do – and it’s refreshing and fun!
Who comes first? Often it’s women in their mid-years who will come to me first – “ the mothers”. They will then pass on to their mothers (“the grandmothers”) that there are treatments which will address dehydrated and aged skins. In turn, mothers look to their daughters – the millennials and Gen Z-ers who are totally open to cosmetic injectable treatments anyhow – and advise them to choose clinic-based practices where experienced nurses inject only quality treatments in a medical environment – not in malls! Hence they all come to me at BLOOMSKIN.
Starting younger. For some in their 20s, the decision to start with Botox® or fillers, is based on research close to home – looking at how their mothers and grandmothers age, on both sides. Add in the sun damage that their mothers probably had (sunscreen was considered an afterthought until the early 1990s), minus the sun damage their grandmothers protected themselves from (ladies wore hats and “appropriate” clothing) and you have some kind of result and expectation of how your skin will age. Look at your bone structure, your skin type too and consider these aspects when you make the decision to make an appointment – also make sure you discuss the family likenesses with your injector who will be able to take a more informed approach to your long term treatment plan.
Softly softly. Another reason why we are more likely to see three generations at BLOOMSKIN, is because we now practice a softer approach, called “Baby Botox” by some and “preventive Botox” by others, that is changing the openly asked question, “Would you ever get Botox?” to “When will you start?” Yes, there are still patients who enjoy a firmer Botox treatment, it’s the shift in how it is administered in accordance with a variety of ages that has helped encourage younger people to try it. Nowadays, Baby Botox is very popular – for all ages. It offers a very natural, soft result and yes, while you may need to come back at what is considered to be the 12 week lifespan of the product (many enjoy longer than that), you will enjoy a really refreshed look, not an immobile one. For those beginning to have treatments younger, and if you’re concerned that the efficacy of Botox® will ‘wear off over time’ if you start younger, or are treated long term – don’t be. There is little evidence documented. Some mature patients require less units over time simply because their facial muscles are less dynamic with age, and therefore require less product.
Do we use the same products? How much filler is used often depends on the required result and is not always dictated by age either. The depth of creases which are usually more significant in mature skins, for example, can be addressed using carefully chosen fillers from the significant bouquet of filler products that have been developed to address the myriad facial concerns cosmetic injectors see. Some skins – irrespective of age – require a firmer more rigid product. Some areas require a softer, more malleable product, also irrespective of age. So, you and your granddaughter could quite likely be enjoying the bloom brought about by the same product, not necessarily in the same place.
Treatment goals. It’s important to remember that cosmetic injectable treatments are not about recreating or recapturing a youthful face – rather, we are rejuvenating a skin which has aged, and making you look the best you can be, which is often about restoring hydration from within. Botox® will soften lines and wrinkles, fillers will plump them out, and redefine softened contours in any age, but the skill of an injector is to do so appropriately, so that each generation can look their very best for their age. There’s nothing more generous than sharing your beauty secrets with those you love, and I am grateful to those of you who share their connections with me, and refer their loved ones to BLOOMSKIN.
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Botox®, Prescription Medicine for the treatment of frown lines and crow’s feet. Botox® has risks and benefits. Ask your doctor if Botox is right for you. Botulinum toxin type A 50, 100, 200 Units. For product information check with your doctor or Consumer Medicine Information on www.medsafe.govt.nz Click for further details. Allergan, Auckland.
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