By: Steve Dayan, MD

Youth is all in the cheeks, right? While experts agree that revolumizing the cheek area is key to facial rejuvenation, Steve Dayan, MD, an expert beauty analyst based in Chicago, is evolving this notion. According to Dr. Dayan, widen the eye aperture, fill the cheeks and reshape the masseters (jaw muscles) for a natural, ideal beauty—all achievable with the needle alone!

Dr. Dayan:

The meaning of beauty has been debated for centuries, from history’s greatest intellectuals to your local hair stylist, but if you subscribe to the evolutionary theory, beauty is a biological imperative—it is an adaptive trait that allows our species to survive and thrive.

Beauty, in essence, is a form of subconscious communication. It is an indicator of health, vitality and the potential for producing viable offspring. But, it’s essential that being beautiful is subconsciously transmitted. If you look “fake,” you’ll inadvertently suggest that you’re not healthy and vital—the exact opposite message you want to send. Contrary to the “makeover” concept perpetuated by media, it often only takes one small detectable change in a person’s face, expression or posture to completely alter the impression projected.

A Natural Approach

Because the eyes are the focal point on the face, most (if not all) of our efforts in facial rejuvenation should be directed toward highlighting and accentuating the eyes. Females are typically considered more attractive if they have large eyes, small chins and defined but petite jawlines.

How this is done:

1. Botulinum toxins (Botox, Dysport) can be used to elevate the brows, which opens the eyelid aperture, making the eyes appear larger, more inviting and attractive.

2. Fillers can be used to reshape contours under the eyes, raise the cheeks and rejuvenate the brows framing the eyes. A judicious amount of filler to enhance the lips subliminally aids the female appeal, but excess may detract from the goal.

3. Fillers can also mask jowls, creating the appearance of a narrow jawline. Toxins can reduce a heavy jaw by relaxing the masseters (jaw muscles). This deemphasizes the lower one-third of the face and fits within the subliminal strategy of making a female face more attractive.

Homogeneous skin tone and color is important as well in the subliminal strategy of beauty. Human eyes look for contrast and to the human brain, heterogeneous or mottled skin with dark spots, wrinkles and brown patches are signals of aging and disease. There is a reason why overripe and undesirable bananas have dark spots. Thickened homogenous skin with a pinkish hue is characteristic of youthfulness and health. A laser or pulse dye treatment that reduces contrasting blemishes and accentuates the natural colors of the skin is helpful as would be an effective moisturizer or superficial facial just prior to the big event because it, too, slightly swells the skin and reduces superficial wrinkles.

The patient presented here demonstrates this subliminal strategy of beauty.

The upper one third of the face was treated with Botox. Elevating
the brow, reducing forehead wrinkles and opening the eyes all
lead to a subliminal message of friendliness and youthful fertility.
The eyelashes enhanced with Latisse further draw attention to the
eyes. Radiesse in the cheeks also frames the eyes and draws attention
away from the lower third of the face.

The lower third of the face is deemphasized and the width of
the mandible is narrowed by placing Botox into the masseters.
This allows the lips which are subtly augmented with hyaluronic filler
to be further noticeable but not distracting. The skin is homogenized,
plumped and toned after a fractionated CO2 treatment.

The result: Her face is feminized, youthful and beautified while
remaining natural and within the context of her age. The results were
subtle, gradual and not overtly noticeable.