Instagram Face — The Lexington Line

This article is an online version of the print article for the S/S ‘20 Lexington Line edition. The print version can be viewed here!

Voluptuous lips, chiseled cheek-bones, and frozen foreheads. The internet blew up in speculation in 2015 when Kylie Jenner claimed that in order to get her plump pout, all you had to do was simply overline your lips with lip liner.

Dermal fillers may be a phrase you have heard buzzing around for the past several years. Maybe your mom got a little on her forehead or your best friend bit the bullet and added a syringe of Juvéderm into her lips. You hear variations of this term more and more as the years go on and hear of procedures that you didn’t even know were possible, such as a liquid nose job.

There are a plethora of different injectables on the market today. Juvéderm, Botox, and Sculptra are three common brands amongst the wide array of injectables that are available. Within the past 20 years, cosmetic fillers have exploded in popularity. Statistics show that they are only continuing to grow; the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that the popularity of minimally invasive procedures has skyrocketed 228% since 2000.

This surge can be explained quite simply: “Movement from more invasive procedures such as surgical lifts and interventions has shifted towards a trend in less invasive procedures such as neurotoxin and soft tissue fillers as we have discovered better technology,” says Mary L. Stevenson, M.D., assistant professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Langone Health.

Although Botox and filler can be deemed a safe and easier alternative to traditional plastic surgery, there are still potential side effects that go along with the treatments. “There are always potential side effects. With Botox, the main considerations are asymmetry, bruising, and a heavy eyelid, which resolves. Technically, it also has a black box warning, but this is for indications and dosages generally not used in dermatology,” Stevenson says.

Some serious side effects could include an upper respiratory tract infection or Dysphasia: a side effect that is a minor loss of the ability to speak clearly or make facial expressions.

Although these side effects are rare, it’s important to note that Botox should always be injected by a trained professional. Filler could also serve some serious side effects. As Stevenson notes, “filler has the risk of bruising, infection, and lumps or bumps. There is also a risk of vascular occlusion. All of these risks make it important to see a board certified dermatologist." Trust me, you don’t want to end up looking botched so please do your research before committing to the procedure and don’t settle for a random doctor you found on Groupon.

I personally experienced extreme swelling and terrible bruising after my first lip filler treatment. For context, my lips were dark purple and looked at least three times the size on one side, (See my cringe transformation photos, from before I started getting filler up until now). Yet, the popular alternative to rhinoplasty is getting filler injected into the bridge and tip in the nose to make it appear smoother and more defined. The potential side effects of this treatment are blindness and skin cell death.

Okay, now that I’m done scaring you with the threats that go along with getting filler, let’s get into what makes it worth all the hype. I started cosmetic injectables at the ripe age of 18 years old. Since that time, I have gotten seven rounds of lip filler, cheek filler, and botox on my forehead. You’re probably thinking to yourself “You were a baby!” But studies say I wasn’t too far off. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, use of soft-tissue fillers among 20- to 29-year-olds was up to more than 67,000 procedures in 2015, which is almost a 33% jump from 2010, and get this: the same age group had more than 100,000 Botox treatments. Botox and filler don’t get their name “lunchtime procedure” for nothing.

The entire treatment happens in a matter of minutes, and it’s fairly accessible. A standard filler treatment can cost anywhere from $450 - $2,200, depending on the type of filler and amount injected. In comparison to the average price of a rhinoplasty, which can cost anywhere from $3,000 - $15,000, you would be surprised to see how much filler can transform your entire look without breaking the bank. The recovery time for a standard botox and filler treatment is very minimal, and it’s easy to go back to your normal day-to-day life almost immediately.

They say aging is beauty—but statistics show that that’s not the case. According to the New York Post, 28% of women under 25 “regularly” worry about showing signs of aging and are three times more likely to use anti-aging products. Some go the traditional route and gear their beauty routines towards anti-aging moisturizers and treatments. Others (myself included) take the modern route with cosmetic filler and botox treatments to take “precautionary measures.” The term “precautionary measures” sounds absolutely absurd, but it’s the reality of the mindsets of this generation’s young women.

Here’s the real question: is the term “precautionary measure” even valid? Well, it’s hard to have a concrete yes or no answer to that, as each doctor has their own standpoint on the issue. Many doctors argue that they have a very difficult time performing Botox or other forms of cosmetic injectables on anyone under 25. Others may insist "the earlier, the better." The question is pretty subjective, as at the end of the day, it is your face, and you have to make your own decision on how you want to look.