Be yourself

How important is tailoring treatments to embrace a patient’s individual beauty?

As society becomes more open-minded and diversity is increasingly celebrated, uniqueness and self-expression are coming more and more to the forefront. In the aesthetics sector, this has seen individuality become a guiding principle for both practitioners and patients, moving the industry toward a more inclusive, personalised approach that takes into account non-standardised concepts of beauty.

Dr Zainab Laftah, a consultant dermatologist at GetHarley, underlines the importance of respecting the diverse nature of beauty, acknowledging that beauty standards are heavily influenced by ethnicity, culture, and age.

“Respecting the diversity of beauty is key to delivering personalised beautification”, she says. “Clients are seeking to enhance their own features rather than conform to traditional perceptions of beauty. Delivering this and championing individuality is dependent on our understanding of these variations when performing treatments like dermal filler.”

Dr Christine Hall, who is part of the team at the Taktouk Clinic, agrees, “Textbook dimensions and the golden ratio are there for reference, but we should not try to achieve this and make everyone look the same,” she says. “We should recognise and normalise individual beauty and create results that leave our patients looking refreshed and rejuvenated but still themselves.”

Rebecca Elsdon, an advanced skin specialist at Re/Skin, echoes these sentiments: “A notable change over the past few years has been an increase in ethnically diverse clients seeking treatment. In the past, the aesthetic approach was focused on European beauty ideals, many of which disregarded the diverse needs and wants of clients from ethnic backgrounds. Recently, there has been a growing understanding and awareness of the unique features and preferences of individuals from different ethnicities, allowing for empowerment and celebration of identities.”

EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE

Normalising and embracing different standards of beauty means clinics should be taking steps to expand their knowledge in these areas, according to Dr Eithne Brenner, who runs the Dr Eithne Brenner Aesthetic Medicine Clinic in Dublin: “It’s no good putting your hands up and saying, I don’t see enough people of colour to be an expert. Get out there and do it. All that information is at our fingertips if we want to make the effort to learn it.”

One clinic chain that ensures all its staff undergoes training to better cater to diverse patient groups is Élan Laser Clinics. Director of aesthetic services Lisa Mason-Poyner comments, “Individuality is a key part of the patient experience, and our collective role as an industry is to humanise our processes and ensure that patients are treated with the utmost respect.

“In a world where social media tries to pigeonhole individuals into predetermined categories, we focus on the human experience by offering transparent pricing, being inclusive, accessible, and delivering hyper personalisation in a luxurious and holistic environment. Inclusivity goes hand-in-hand with individuality and is particularly important to us.”

A MOVE AWAY FROM “ANTI-AGEING”

As well as ethnically and gender-diverse patients seeking treatments that respect their unique features and preferences, the industry is starting to shed the term ‘anti-ageing’. Instead of conforming to a narrow beauty ideal, the industry is adapting to offer personalised treatment plans that consider individual needs, cultural contexts, and a wider range of options.

Elsdon emphasises the importance of pro-ageing in this context, highlighting that growing older is not a decline but a privilege filled with memories, wisdom, and experiences. “There has been a change in how we view and talk about skin with age, with the term ‘anti-ageing ’ very often frowned upon,” she says. “A more modern approach today is acceptance of skin changes and embracing the natural process to empower our true selves at all ages. Furthermore, training within the aesthetics field is rapidly adapting to support individuality. A more personalised treatment plan to cater to specific needs and desires, understand cultural contexts, and offer a wider range of options is serving to fight against societal pressures.”

Director of SKIN by Courtney Melody, Courtney Melody echoes the concept of embracing one’s best self and the ageing process while feeling confident in your natural appearance.

“In today’s society, both women and men face significant pressures related to ageing. The beauty industry and media frequently promote anti-ageing products or ideals, creating an atmosphere where growing older is seen as undesirable”, she says. “However, ageing is not only inevitable but also a privilege and embracing the natural ageing process is essential. It shouldn’t be seen as a decline but a testament to memories, wisdom and experiences gained through our lives. We need to shift the focus from anti-ageing to pro-ageing and reject societal pressures, allowing us to live authentically and confidently, free from the fear of growing older or appearing older. It is a fortune that some aren’t so lucky to live through, so let’s embrace it without allowing anyone to make us feel otherwise!”

For Piroska Cavell, the founder and medical director of Clinic Sese in Kent, embracing this trend is also about focusing on self-love. “I focus on empowering my patients and help them choose treatments from a place of self-love, not self-loathing, which is too often their starting point, having been confronted so frequently with perceived beauty idealisation and ageism”, she says. “My patient demographic is predominantly 50+, and their perceived loss of attractiveness is complex and related to several issues, including a variety of media platforms perpetuating unrealistic beauty ideals and ageism. It is extremely important with all patients, especially this age group who may be suffering from a loss of confidence, to talk about how we will highlight some of their best features.”

SUBTLE TWEAKMENTS

While for some patients, expressing their individuality may mean altering their appearance in more noticeable ways, there is another trend emerging towards more natural results as a way of embracing who you are.

Dr Angela Tewari, also a consultant dermatologist at GetHarley, foresees a trend toward subtle “tweakments,” including periocular skin boosters, biostimulation, and mesotherapy. “I think there is a real move for a subtle approach to aesthetics”, she says. “In my practice, I tend to use biostimulators or hyaluronic acid-based fillers that can blend under the skin rather than maintain shape.”

“I also think non-invasive approaches are very helpful, particularly microneedling and chemical peels,” she adds, stating that these treatments align with the overarching shift toward embracing one’s natural beauty and enhancing it discreetly.

Ms Natasha Berridge, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, has also noticed a shift towards patients requesting more natural results. “Patients are increasingly conscious of not looking ‘overfilled, wrinkle-free or obviously enhanced’, thereby pursuing a more holistic and natural appearance. Patients are much more receptive to combined treatment plans that include optimising skin health, enhancement/rejuvenation of facial features and overall wellness advice.”

Cavell agrees. She says, “My patients do a lot of research before their first visit to me. Often, they report being hesitant and delaying seeking help due to being confronted with images of ‘the shiny frozen forehead’ and expressionless faces that were all over the media in recent years. Now, the tide appears to be turning to a more natural look. This is why it is important to offer bespoke treatments designed around the individual relating to their unique anatomy.”

”It is truly refreshing to see people accepting their uniqueness, and there is a noticeable shift from the over-filled, over-augmented look,” adds dental surgeon Dr Lisa Dinley. “I have always been a firm advocate for a natural, rejuvenating outcome for my treatments and not changing how my patients look.

“I like to work with my patients individually, providing bespoke treatments for them according to their individual needs and desires, all the while educating them on age-appropriate treatments and outcomes and how we can enhance what nature has bestowed upon them. This education is key to providing natural results, and we should not be treating patients with a ‘one size fits all’ or ‘paint by numbers’ approach. This includes skin treatments, and I firmly believe in providing validated skin analysis to develop individual skin treatments that can be objectively shown to improve skin quality.”

A SKIN-FIRST APPROACH

However, an individual chooses to express themselves, healthy skin is a universally agreed upon foundation and treatments that focus on skin health and good skincare, and lifestyle factors are key.

“In recent years, there has been a notable shift in the field of aesthetics towards treatments emphasising skin quality and rejuvenation, as opposed to interventions geared towards significant structural alterations in facial appearance”, says oculoplastic surgeon at The Clinic Holland Park, Dr Jenny Doyle. “This shift reflects a growing acceptance and celebration of individuality among both patients and practitioners in the realm of aesthetics as they navigate external societal pressures.”

Dr Hall adds, “There is a rise in patients seeking treatments to improve their skin often so they no longer need to wear makeup. When skin is well hydrated and dewy, the overall appearance is that of a healthy and relaxed person. There is no change in that person’s facial structure or movements, so treating the skin gives the most natural result.”

Melody agrees, “Embracing the concept of pro-ageing means embracing your best self and feeling confident in your natural appearance, without the constant pressure to look younger”, she says. “Achieving this involves supporting your skin’s natural health through various treatment modalities and skincare routines featuring high-quality ingredients.”

But there’s still a way to go in terms of educating consumers about their skincare needs, and Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz, chemical engineer, skincare formulator and founder of Skin Masterclass, believes practitioners need to enhance their knowledge in order to meet this need better. “One survey revealed that 71% of consumers felt that their skincare needs weren’t being met. By investing in advanced skincare science knowledge, practitioners can gain skills that allow them to have a greater understanding of product formulas and to match the product ingredient list to the function, quality, and effectiveness of the product. By mastering this skill and the methodology of an educational skincare consultation process, they can correctly identify the best-suited treatment protocol for the patient and create a truly personalised and transformational skincare routine that uniquely suits their patient’s individual needs.”

A PERSONALISED APPROACH

Nothing embraces a person’s individuality more than personalised medicine, which moves away from a one-size-f its-all approach and embraces an individual’s specific and unique needs.Factions of medicine, such as functional and lifestyle medicine, are merging more and more with aesthetics. Being patient-centric and health-focused, rather than having a disease-management approach, is becoming increasingly popular.

Dr Hall explains, “Medicine, in general, has completely shifted from the paternalistic doctor-patient relationship where patients were told what to do to a relationship where decisions are shared, and patients are empowered and involved in their treatment plans. Aesthetic medicine is the same. We shouldn’t be sitting in front of our patients, pointing out each line, wrinkle, and everything we can treat. We should be asking them what bothers them most and what they want to achieve, and this should be our combined goal.”

Dr Dinley believes another way aesthetics is moving in this direction is by incorporating screening and blood tests to understand patients’ overall health to help with the outward signs of ageing. This allows practitioners and patients alike to understand their own baseline health levels, which can be monitored for change, rather than waiting for ill health to measure this.

“This really highlights a personalised, individualised medical approach to care, where patients become more aware of and take ownership of their own health, and what, if any, steps they may take to improve this,” she says.

As the public increasingly values individuality and authenticity, the aesthetic industry is shifting its focus toward empowering patients to be themselves. It’s no longer about conforming to societal norms but celebrating diversity and self expression, allowing each person to shine in their unique beauty.

To summarise, as plastic surgeon Dr Nimrod Friedman says: “We don’t want everyone to look the same, it would be quite boring.”

Dr Brenner concludes, “We want to celebrate our uniqueness. Let’s not reduce us all back to one generic sort of ideal. The vast majority will never look like that and don’t want to. We’ve got all this beautiful diversity. Let’s celebrate it and make our treatments focus on that individual person.”