If you know me, you already understand that I got into the field of medical aesthetics for all the right reasons. As I said in a previous blog post, I believe that cosmetic treatments aren’t just about keeping up appearances. They’re meant to help patients match their outward appearance to their inner beauty. Though my content usually focuses on what treatments will do for you, this time I’d like to talk about what treatments won’t do for you.
Beauty begins within
Before we get to that, let’s consider the term “inner beauty”. Is it simply something created by self-proclaimed unattractive people to make themselves feel better? Of course not. But unlike outer beauty, inner beauty isn’t visible. Even if you have the most perfect facial features and physical proportions, it’s who you are—heart, mind, and soul—that whats attracts others to you. Having the confidence to love yourself is what makes you beautiful.
What I look for
In my consultation sessions with potential patients, I work to suss out exactly why they want treatments. Most people give me obvious answers—wanting to look less tired, to rid themselves of fine lines, to give themselves a boost—but I listen hard to make sure I don’t miss any red flags. When a patient gives any indication that they are having Botox or fillers because they feel they will feel better about themselves, that’s unsettling.
What I know is that if you’re looking for aesthetic treatments to fill a void or make yourself look like someone else, a model or a movie star, for example, you will never truly get the results you want. You could end up feeling just as disappointed with how you look and feel as you did before the treatment.
Treatments and INNER BEAUTY
Studies show conclusively that negative feelings about your appearance will impact your self-esteem and well-being which can lead to a lack of confidence. That’s a vicious cycle. There are many ways to turn that around though, including exercising more, sleeping better, engaging in more social activities, trying new things, and even having medical aesthetic treatments.
What I’ve clearly observed is this: Those who love and are kind to themselves inevitably feel their treatments were successful. They worked hard to do the things that made them happy—long before they ever signed up for any procedure. In other words, they had found their inner beauty.
The journey
Finding and accepting your inner beauty is a lifelong journey. It’s something you likely have to work on day in and day out and you have to accept that sometimes, your confidence can wane. Medical aesthetics may or may not be part of your journey towards feeling like your true self. As mentioned before, when you look and feel your best, you feel more confident. But if you haven’t done the internal work, you will definitely revert to being self-critical.
If you’re a person who has found true contentment within, then you may decide to forgo aesthetic treatments. That’s great and that’s the right decision for you. If you’re someone who feels good about yourself but decides that Botox is part of your self-care journey, that’s great too.
Your ultimate goal should be to make a commitment to loving yourself first. It’s the best thing you can do to let that inner beauty shine!
Are you ready to open a discussion about your medical aesthetics journey? Reach out to us to book your free consultation.