It seems that there was once a stigma surrounding aesthetic treatments. A "woman who injects" felt the need to keep it a secret so that no one would suspect she was, well, aging. For various reasons, perhaps one particularly influenced by social media, today aesthetic treatments are no longer a secret; on the contrary, young people take pride in them and almost take them for granted. Proper nutrition, exercise, and aesthetic treatments have become the holy trinity, and not without reason.
Behind this trend are fascinating social and psychological aspects that explain the change. "First of all, it's very important to say that our skin begins the aging process as early as age 20, so this fact is not new at all," explains Dr. Larisa Barak, a specialist in aesthetic medicine.
Once the skin begins to wrinkle, dynamic expression lines form—those that appear when smiling, expressing anger, or astonishment. This is exactly the time to start treating them, to prevent them from becoming static wrinkles, the kind that just stay there no matter what we do.
At Dr. Barak's clinic, young women regularly come in with the goal of taking care of themselves, looking, and feeling better. "The earlier you come, even at age 25, it’s easier to prevent the fall than to lift what has already fallen," Dr. Barak explains.
These patients likely spend a significant amount of time on their social media, which has a significant influence on beauty ideals in the last decade. A quick scroll through Instagram reveals filtered and edited images, influencers who discuss and show their treatment processes, and generally the normalization of aesthetic treatments.
These data, combined with demographic changes like the delay in marriage and childbearing, longer periods in the workforce, and competitiveness in the job market, certainly contribute to the trend. Furthermore, thanks to the digital revolution, there is easy access to information about aesthetic treatments, a rise in awareness about preventive treatments, and the removal of the "embarrassing" stigma through sharing experiences.
Botox, acids, and device-based treatments are the most common in Dr. Barak’s clinic. "Today, the tendency is not to add volume to the face but to tighten the skin," she explains. "In addition to Botox, there are also simple ways to do this, such as mesotherapy, where substances with vitamins and minerals are injected into the skin to slow down aging. Another treatment is Sculptra, poly-L-lactic acid, a synthetic substance that does not cause allergies, tightens the skin, and accelerates collagen production in the face. This treatment gives results for about two and a half years, and the best part is that it looks natural."
These treatments also have psychological aspects: "We fear aging," explains Barak. "There’s a fear of losing opportunities in the job market and in dating due to appearance, or a sense of social pressure to maintain a particularly young appearance due to comparisons with others on social media."
In the end, we all want to look and feel good, and it’s hard to ignore the wave that is sweeping through social media. There’s no doubt there is a close connection between appearance and self-confidence, and through these treatments, we can definitely feel like we are investing for the future and seizing the "window of opportunity" for preventive care.
So, what happens if we start overdoing it?
"It really depends. There are cases where young girls come to me with thin lower lips that bother them. In such a case, I would speak with the parents and the girl, we’ll understand that it comes from a healthy and measured place, and we can definitely treat even at age 15. But there are also many cases of young women who come to me with unrealistic expectations, ones who are unhappy with their nose and want to sculpt it with substances after seeing it on Instagram, for example. These are things I don’t do because, in my opinion, young women don’t need that. For me, it’s the role of the aesthetic doctor, not just to inject and swipe the credit card, but to have aesthetic sense and integrity. You can’t do the same thing for everyone—it’s not a factory. There is a very important element in the advice we give, what treatments we will perform, and more importantly, which treatments we will not perform."
Are there any disadvantages to starting preventive treatment early?
"There aren’t many disadvantages. Of course, there’s the economic aspect to consider. Another thing that not everyone knows is that sometimes, after many years of treatments, the substance can accumulate in the face and cause swelling. This leads to puffiness in the face and under the eyes, and it doesn’t look good. It’s true that all the companies say the substance dissolves within a year and a half, but in reality, this doesn’t always happen, so it’s important in such cases to know about the option of injecting dissolving substances—substances that dissolve the puffiness and acid buildup and then reassess the situation."
What happens if I came too late?
"This is exactly the difference between preventive treatment and correction. Some women come at age 60 and want to start without even having ever used a cream on their face. In such a case, it’s hard to correct; I would actually recommend going toward skin resurfacing treatments using devices that reduce pigmentation and redness and smooth the skin, and only then adding volume or lifting the face with threads. There’s always something that can be done to improve, but it’s important to set expectations in advance."
In conclusion, Dr. Barak, where do you think this field is headed in the future?
"To as natural as possible. Everyone in Hollywood today is gradually removing the substance from their lips and cheeks and transitioning to more natural faces, and that’s the tendency. The goal is something that holds the skin, not necessarily injections, but also device treatments that accelerate collagen production, but everything has to suit the age, gender, and sex. People shouldn’t wonder whether we’ve had treatment or not; we should just look good, and that’s exactly my motto, so I’m very content with this trend."
Noam Pearl, in collaboration with Dr. Larisa Barak