Can you do too much plastic surgery? The answer here of course is yes.
Everyone has seen photos of The Cat Lady, Michael Jackson, and Joan Rivers. When you look at someone and they look distorted, you know they had too much or the wrong thing done. The goal of aging should not be no wrinkles and an overfilled helium balloon look, or a broad or pointy chin, or cheeks that could cut like razors.
The goal should be to age gracefully. To “look good for your age.” To look rested and fresh and like you just were on vacation.
Yes, it is unfair that men get to age in a way that women aren’t allowed to. Yes, stupid menopause causes all sorts of body changes and can accelerate aging for women everywhere. But that doesn’t mean you have to distort yourself.
I just saw photos and articles about Madonna at the Grammys. She does not deserve to be singled out. I would include a lot of people in here, where they no longer have texture in their lips and their faces are over plumped from too much dermal filler. Instagram, TikTok, the Real Housewives franchise are filled with these photos.
The title of the article I was reading from the Telegraph, was “Madonna has nothing left to prove- yet she’s destroying her own face.” In the article I read about Joan Rivers, who had the tragic comment, “I wish I had a twin, so I could know what I’d look like without plastic surgery.” The article then went on to say Joan had 348 cosmetic surgeries over her life. (!!!). The article continued to talk about how Madonna was “eerily smooth, so overfilled… the cheeks too puffy… The star looked like a monstrous baby crossed with a koi carp.”
So why am I writing about this?
First, I think women should remember they are not defined by their looks. Joan Rivers was a fabulous comedienne. Madonna changed the face of music and has been an icon spanning decades, and a key part of my teenage years in the 80s. It saddens me that the conversations of these women now are about their face and not their accomplishments.
Second, I think there is a way to age elegantly. I am not telling you to do nothing. But I am telling you don’t do everything. The goal for me isn’t no wrinkles, and overly tight and plumped skin. The goal is to look like a good version of your age. And you should make the choice for you as to what/if you want to do anything. There is a ladder of options, from nothing— to small in office tinkers —-to medium surgeries —to larger ones.
Third, BALANCE. The issue of the aging face is multifactorial. It is the quality of the skin, the looseness of the skin, and volume loss. You need to address all of these in a balanced way to keep a natural, proportionate look. Well done plastic surgery makes it look like you are not aging as quickly, not like you are 20.
Once you lose that touchpoint with natural, I think it is hard to go back and recreate it. Be thoughtful about what you do, and I would encourage you to find a doctor who shares your aesthetic.