The 13 Pressing Questions You Have About Filler And Botox, Answered By The Beauty Nurse
by The Candidly Team
It’s a question most of us have asked ourselves. At least once, but also possibly 487 times:
Should I get botox? Or filler? Should I get Botox AND filler?!
Notice we didn’t say “need” because no one needs it. We want it because we want to look younger, fresher, rested, better—we want our outside to match our inside.
And yet, once we start seriously considering marching down to our local injector’s office, we start that filler spiral. You know the one: “but is it SAFE? Will I look insane? Will I lose my baseline and suddenly look like a full cat? Will my lips flip up and touch my nose but I will start to secretly think that looks prettier than my current shriveled lips? Should I just buy another retinol product and call it a day?”
These are the questions rattling around in our brains about this stuff. You too?
So we enlisted our friend Melissa Berg, aka The Beauty Nurse, founder of @craftedbeauty, makeup and skincare aficionado, and the master of natural-looking results, to give us answers to 13 of our most pressing questions about injectables.
1. What's the one thing you wish everyone knew about injectables?
One thing? I wish there was a lot of things people knew about injectables! The main thing I wish everyone knew is that dermal fillers (such as Restylane and Juvederm) and Botox can be done tastefully to not look “fake” or “overdone.”
I see people overgeneralize injectors all the time, and think all injectors can do the same thing. This is a major misconception. I see patients who have gone to untrained providers, or God forbid, someone who works from their home basement.
Be frugal with clothes or traveling, but don’t be frugal or let money be a deciding factor when it comes to injectables.
2. Are there any specific products you stay away from, and recommend your clients stay away from?
Can I write a novel? I feel like one of the scariest things I am seeing right now are the hyaluron pens.
These devices (sometimes bought on Amazon) shoot hyaluronic acid into the lips. These are not regulated by the FDA. This procedure is also done by someone without a medical license who cannot manage the complications that can arise with this (such as infection and a vascular occlusion).
I’ve seen a lot of patients come in with bumps/lumps in their lips from these and unfortunately because I don’t know what was actually injected, there is little hope for helping these patients.
3. Do you ever see people go overboard? How do you deal with it?
I do, and I’m seeing it more and more.
A lot has to do with social media and filters, which are giving people a false sense of what they look like, or what they think they should look like. They need to understand that fillers and botox just can’t create these results, because these filters are fake.
Plus, more people are becoming injectors without the proper training. If someone who comes into our clinic for a consult has previously been over-injected by another provider, and can’t see that anything is wrong and are requesting more, we make it clear that we’re not the provider for them.
If they can see that something is off and they’ve been overfilled, we discuss dissolving the fillers, which is a long process and can take several sessions. The area that was injected may never go back to looking natural. These are very hard conversations to have.
4. What creates that puffy cat look?
It’s too much filler, injected too often, in all the wrong places. People hyper-focus on one area, and before they know it, they have turned into the feline “cat” look.
5. How do we not lose sight of our baseline selves and go too far?
Find a provider who won’t just take your money. I am in an industry where I make a living injecting peoples faces, but trust me, I say “no” all day long.
If your injector says “no,” listen to them!
6. Does social media make us want botox and fillers even more? If so, why?
Of course. Comparison is the thief of all joy, and social media allows us to compare all day.
I encourage everyone to go through who they follow and really take inventory of whether or not that person is adding to their life, or taking away. I hope young women aspire to be more than their looks. I hope they care about their body in a loving, accepting way. I hope they know their worth is not based on how they look and that we can never judge someone based on their Instagram photos.
Social media is a highlight reel of people’s lives. Follow the people that show you the true grit of life.
7. Why do so many of us want to look the same? Are we simply swayed by trends, or do you think it's something deeper?
Filters and photoshopping have swayed people further away from who they truly are. The point is not to look the same.
I really strive to enhance the unique features of my patients, and never want us to all just look the same because we are getting the same injectables to look like the same filter. It’s really sad to me. I see some people’s Instagram posts, and then see them in real life, and they don’t even look like the same person.
I try to keep social media as real as I can, and I follow people like Kate Winslet who wants the world to see her for who she really is.
8. Most men think that someone with fillers looks like this:
How many women do you see whose husbands don't even know that they have botox/fillers?
That’s pretty typical. Men always see the bad results on people and think that’s what everyone will look like when getting it done.
When it comes to Botox, I tell my patients that their husbands will never know! They will just look rejuvenated. It is the same with filler, minus the fact that you will likely have bruising and swelling (post filler) and that’s a little harder to hide!
9. There’s so much mixed info about fillers as a safe/effective procedure for under eye bags and hollowness. Where do you stand on this?
The undereye area is, in my opinion the hardest area to treat when it comes to injectables, and it often has low patient satisfaction.
Patients want results and they want them now. Instant results don’t happen when it comes to undereye treatment because of all you are working with: fat pads, volume loss, and ligaments.
I am very honest and upfront with my patients. If they are a good candidate for filler, I will tell them it’s not going to happen overnight. The process can take 2-3 rounds of filler to correct that area. If they have a protruding fat pad, I’ll refer them to facial plastics for an evaluation and lower blepharoplasty. If it’s poor skin laxity, I’ll recommend a series of PRP injections under the eyes. This is becoming more popular in my practice as there is little-to-no side effects and risks from it.
I find too many injectors go straight to filler without looking at the full picture.
10. Are extremely-plumped lips still in style, or are people opting for a more natural look now?
I am happy to say people are, as of late, wanting to go a bit more natural with their lips.
I am also happy to see how more and more injectors are using their platform to educate the world on the point of injectables: to enhance what you already have…to look natural and to be yourself, not Kim Kardashian.
11. Do you recommend starting in our 20’s?
Honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary unless a patient needs it. Sometimes, I have 50-year-old patients with no static lines, so they don’t need it. And sometimes, I have 20 year old patients starting to see lines at rest, so I’ll recommend starting Botox treatments.
12. What are the actual risks of Botox and fillers?
So many! With fillers, there are risks for infection, granulomas in the face, vascular occlusion (which can lead to tissue death). In the worst of cases, fillers can cause blindness if it gets into the retinol artery.
When it comes to Botox, the most unwanted side effects are brow or eyelid droop. Fortunately, this is not permanent, so these effects will go away over time. Again, be sure you find an injector who is aware of these risks and knows what to do if something like this happens.
13. We know that so much of this hinges on finding a trustworthy practitioner. Is there like one amazing resource that will just tell us the single best person in our city to go to (that doesn't cost a billion dollars)?
Yes! This website, realself.com, is a great resource for finding a provider near you.
Otherwise, word of mouth is huge. If you have a friend who looks natural that is having botox or filler done, then ask where she goes!
And definitely look on social media at injectors’ before and after photos to see if that injector’s work aligns with what you want. Some of the best injectors do not have social media, so finding them would be based upon word of mouth.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be used in place of professional advice, medical treatment, or professional care in any way. This article is not intended to be and should not be a substitute for professional care, advice or treatment. Please consult with your physician or healthcare provider before changing any health regimen. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease of any kind. Read our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
