Keeping Up With Your Maintenance
Increasingly, iconic figures recognized for their timeless beauty are publicly discussing some of their “secrets” for maintaining their appearance over a span of many decades. Dolly Parton is a brilliant, talented, and iconic figure who has made no secret of the fact that she has enhanced her appearance regularly over the years. In fact, she once told Larry King, “I look at myself like a show dog. I’ve got to keep her clipped and trimmed and in good shape.” She has also been quoted as saying, “If I see something sagging, bagging or dragging I’ll get it nipped, tucked or sucked.” While Ms. Parton often made these remarks in jest, she truly is a thought-leader who helped break down the social stigma previously associated with rejuvenation procedures. She also popularized the concept of ongoing “maintenance” of one’s appearance, an idea that today has become the cornerstone for both rejuvenation and for prevention of age-related changes.
Additionally, Christie Brinkley is a beauty icon who, at age 62, has retained her super-model appearance without surgery. Ms. Brinkley recently has come forward and openly discussed her minimalistic yet highly successful approach in her recently released book “Timeless Beauty: Over 100 Tips, Secrets, and Shortcuts to Looking Great”. In her book she discusses her judicious use of Botox®, injectable fillers, noninvasive skin tightening, and laser treatments as well as her diet and exercise regimen.
You don’t have to be famous or have unlimited resources in order to keep yourself looking great over an extended period of time, nor do you have to undergo dramatic treatments which change your appearance or are noticeable to others. I completely agree with Ms. Brinkley who says, “The best results are not total transformations but nearly imperceptible changes that just make you look like a slightly younger version of you. This is an area where less really is more.” Employing this strategy, we routinely see patients who, as a result of excellent skin care, regular use of Botox® and fillers, periodic laser and skin tightening treatments, and adherence to a healthy lifestyle and diet look better today than they did a decade or more ago. The goal is to create both a long and short-term maintenance plan to maximize and maintain a youthful appearance. Seeing the sense of self-satisfaction and confidence instilled when patients look at the photographs we took before starting their treatments is one of the most rewarding aspects of my practice.
If you are interested in making a plan to help you subtly look more youthful and to maintain your appearance over an extended period of time, please contact us.