The Psychology of Aesthetics: Understanding the Emotional Impact of Medical Enhancements

Hello, to our lovely patients!

If you're reading this, you might be thinking about aesthetic treatments to rejuvenate your skin and bring back that youthful glow. Let's dive in and explore not just how these treatments can refresh your appearance, but how they also touch your mind and soul.

This is a slightly controversial subject as there is much debate on whether aesthetics treatments are solely cosmetic, or if they provide a deeper influence on our mental health.

The Emotional Uplift

You know that feeling when you put on a new outfit or have a fabulous hair day? Well, aesthetic treatments can offer a similar boost, but on a potentially much larger scale. Engaging in aesthetic enhancements can be a form of self-expression and self-affirmation. As we nurture our outer selves, there’s a tangible infusion of confidence that permeates through various aspects of life. I feel this is an amplification of the psychological benefits of self-care.  You are taking the time to look after yourself and your appearance because you deserve to be looked after.  As one hair commercial puts it succinctly ‘Because you’re worth it!’ If you treat yourself as if you are worthy, you will feel as if you are worthy.

Understanding Your Journey

It’s perfectly natural to wish to address concerns such as skin laxity, dullness, and those early signs of ageing. Each line and wrinkle tell a story, but for some, these stories don’t fully capture how we feel inside. Medical aesthetic treatments can help align how we look with how we feel deep down, fostering a sense of harmony within ourselves.  That said, we feel aesthetic treatments should always look natural and like the best version of yourself rather than trying to change or alter how you look too much.     

Diving into the Psychological Impact

1. Self-Confidence Boost: Aesthetic treatments can lead to increased self-esteem and body satisfaction. When you look in the mirror and like what you see, it often translates to increased self-assuredness in social and professional settings.  Many of our patients seek treatments as they are altering their lifestyles due to their appearance.  This could include avoiding social events or not wanting their pictures taken with a new grandchild.  Increasing self-confidence, even slightly, can allow our patients to live their life as they really want to.

2. Combating the Ageing Narrative: As we age, society sometimes pushes a narrative of limitation or loss. Choosing to engage with aesthetic enhancements can be an empowering act of self-care, rejecting those narratives in favour of writing your own story. We get to choose how we look and to an extent, how we age.  It allows our patients to take their power back! Choice is imperative to this discussion (think Pamela Anderson and her liberating approach by going sans make-up!) Considering our options and choosing our path to ageing is quite a new and powerful narrative for women today. I urge patients to look at how they feel about themselves rather than fear of how others see them. You are looking after yourself, for you!

3. Stress Relief and Mental Clarity: For many, the process and aftermath of aesthetic treatments contribute to stress relief. The physical act of investing time in oneself is a powerful form of self-care, providing mental clarity and reducing anxiety.  An odd thing that occurs very occasionally in clinic is that my patients tell me they feel relaxed having their injectables done. Whilst personally, I don’t mind having facial injections, I have never felt relaxation when it's my turn in the chair! I often joke that if that is what relaxes them, then their everyday lives must be very stressful!

Addressing Concerns

It's natural to have concerns about trying something new with your body. The key is to engage openly with your medical aesthetic specialist. Discuss your goals, fears, and ask lots of questions. Your comfort and peace of mind are as important as the outcomes you hope to achieve.  This is one of the reasons I spent an hour consulting with my patients prior to carrying out any treatments.  To ensure that my patients are happy with their treatment results and overall experience and results, I need to understand what is driving them to seek treatment, what their expectations are for treatment if indeed if having an aesthetic treatment right for them at that time.  I have had patients that have made appointments after recent bereavements, family separations or botched results from other practitioners or are just generally stressed out.  I would nearly always in these cases suggest focusing on relaxation treatments and focusing on caring for themselves at this point.  It doesn’t mean no injectables in the future, but perhaps right now is not the time to focus on perceived flaws or make decisions when under general life stress.

Final Thoughts

Engaging with medical aesthetic treatments is a personal journey. It’s about enhancing your natural beauty while simultaneously nurturing your emotional well-being. Remember, these enhancements aren’t changing who you are; they’re celebrating and refining the fabulous person you’ve always been.

Embrace the laughter lines, cherish your unique beauty, and make choices that empower you. Let this journey be one of joy and self-love.  We are here to support you in any way we can during this journey.

Cheers to beauty that reflects the vibrant, wonderful life you've led so far and the exciting journey still to come! 🥂✨

We hope this blog gave you some clarity and comfort. Have a beautiful day, inside and out!