Navigating the Skincare Landscape

If you are a woman “of a certain age” with your vanity still intact like me, then you have been devoting a lot of time and money to your skin for at least a decade or two or more! And as you have noticed, the field of offerings when it comes to both products and treatments has grown exponentially during the last few years. And while it’s exciting that there are so many offerings promising to stave off a dreaded visit to the surgeon’s office, the choices can be overwhelming for the novice. If you are again like me, you have invested more money than you would probably like to admit on something that simply did not work. This happened to me last year.

My major areas of concern are my jawline and neck, and I endured a non-surgical almost two-hour procedure for around $2000 that had no noticeable results. The protocol said you would probably not see a difference until about 6 months on average, but I waited until almost a year to inquire, hoping to see results. I also really hoped that the provider might at the very least, offer me a discount on something else, but instead, I was weirdly made to feel it was my fault somehow! Had I gained or lost a significant amount of weight because that could make a difference? No, I had not. Needless to say, I left miserable and without any good will on the part of that establishment.

So what’s a “girl” to do? The key is finding professionals that you can trust and that will steer you towards effective treatments for your particular needs while keeping you away from questionable and unproven procedures. You also don’t want to feel pressured to try the treatment de jour – the latest is not always the greatest. When I reviewed the whole experience, I realized that no one had really analyzed my skin and discussed the procedure with me before such a big outlay of cash. I had reviewed my options for neck and jawline myself and came to the conclusion that this was probably the best option for me – clearly it was not! I also realized that no one bothered to follow up with me despite such a big expenditure – this was not a maintenance facial!

So make sure to do your own research, but also have an in-depth discussion before proceeding and spending. And have the “what if this does not work at all” conversation before you sign up and plop yourself down on the table. Professionals that truly care will want to work with you if things don’t go your way – not a full refund of course – this isn’t an exact science after all – but as I had hoped, a little more attention and concern, and yes, perhaps a discount on something else. Maybe one day, we will pop a little pill and look ten years younger. Until then, I wish you the best in navigating the skincare landscape!

Let’s keep the conversation going. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Alice Welsh Doyle