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“You look great! Did you change your hair?…”

One of the most important parts of my job does not involve performing a procedure, or administering a product…or even talking. A critical part of what I do every day is listening. When I meet with a patient for the first time or for the hundredth time, it is vitally important that I understand exactly what it is that that patient is trying to achieve. And I do this by listening closely to what he or she is saying and by asking questions that allow us to unearth a patient’s true objectives in a collaborative way.

In recent years, what I have found from listening to my patients is that they don’t want an extreme makeover. They don’t want friends, family and acquaintances to remark how great they look now that they’ve had ‘some work done’.

Our patients want results – absolutely. But the key is that they want natural-looking results.

People might notice that a patient looks better; but it is more about looking well-rested and refreshed, rather than made over. Questions like “did you just get back from a vacation?” and “did you do something new with your hair?” are not uncommon!

These natural-looking results can be achieved using a common sense and individualized approach. Starting with the skin is always the best option. An evidence-based, customized skincare regimen is the foundation; and adding energy-based treatments for rejuvenation can really enhance the results. Beyond that, any selection of cosmetic interventions would be in line with the most conservative and gentle approach.

In other words, less is more!

Achieving natural-looking results has become such a hot topic for patients and, in turn, the medical community, that I am actually chairing a session on that very topic at the American Academy of Dermatolgy Annual Meeting in San Francisco this weekend. I look forward to sharing insights that I gather from my colleagues at this and other sessions in future blog posts!

What are your questions about natural-looking results? Is it a priority for you to keep your cosmetic outcomes looking natural? Let us know by commenting below or follow us on Twitter @HumphreyDerm.

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