It’s time to consider the current state of the phenomenon called “Aesthetic Medicine”
Today, we are witnessing an increasing mass movement of people from various generations seeking assistance from aesthetic medicine for various reasons. These range from the desire to counteract the advancing years to the need to correct personal flaws or even to bring innovations to one’s own image by realizing desires and/or following fashion trends.
These desires or dreams naturally land on the desks of plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and industry experts who strive to fulfill them through cosmetics (make-up, tricks, anti-aging creams, nutrition…), minimally invasive dermatological procedures (the famous little injections!), and more complex surgical interventions. But what are the boundaries and limits of aesthetic surgery? What are the “boundaries” to be observed? These are the questions that we, as physicians, ask ourselves every day, and not only us! The answer to these types of questions cannot be singular, of course. The perspectives are diverse, and aesthetic requests are increasingly innovative and sometimes imaginative.
But what is the right approach? When should we say “no” to certain requests? Certainly, the “psychological” aspect of the person making the request must be considered, carefully evaluating the presence of any “dysmorphic” issues with a loss of the “right evaluation of one’s own image.” Given the above, there are different approaches to practicing aesthetic surgery.
The first approach is a “conservative” one, consisting of correcting only the signs of aging. These are dermatological interventions that correct the defect without others being able to notice the correction. The second approach involves introducing innovations that remain within normal anatomy—such as fuller lips maintaining a classic shape, for example—or innovations that significantly change a person’s image. Personally, as a dermatologist, I prefer the first approach, maintaining classic form parameters with the requested innovations to prevent the person from becoming a “caricature of themselves” following treatment with the current trend of “bizarre medicine“. But what are the best products for aesthetic treatments? We will discuss this in the next edition of our Fashion Wow Magazine!
By Aldo Ciambellotti, Dermatologist
