Why Do Celebrities So Often Get It Wrong With Tweakments?

Considering they seem to have access to the best aesthetic practitioners (and the money to pay for it), why does it seem that so many celebrities look so ‘overfilled’ or noticeably ‘different’ after having tweakments? We spoke to three leading aesthetic doctors to get their opinions, and their answers might surprise you. What’s more, their advice can help us ‘mere mortals’ make better aesthetic choices too…

1) They face a lot of social pressure

“A big reason celebrities can get it wrong with tweakments is the social pressure from the media and the public on them to always look young,” suggests leading aesthetic practitioner Dr Ahmed El Muntasar. “For example, with the Friends reunion, peoples’ reference point was how those celebrities looked on the show, despite it being filmed in the late 90s.  It’s now 25 years on, so obviously they’ve all aged, but a lot of their fans still made a direct comparison, which I don’t think is fair.”

“Celebrities are under immense pressure to maintain youthful and perfect looks,” agrees the clinical director of Elevate Medical Aesthetics Dr Nick Sinden. “This pressure may lead to excessive treatments and unnatural-looking enhancements, which overshadow the principle of subtle, natural tweakments that represent successful aesthetic work.”

What we can learn: tweaks shouldn’t be pressure-based

It’s not just celebrities who can feel pressure to ‘stay looking young’ – it’s an issue faced throughout society. That means being aware of why you think you want a certain treatment and not rushing into anything!

“The key to looking natural when having tweakments, celebrity or otherwise, lies in bespoke treatment plans designed for each individual, as well as moderation, so not having too many treatments too quickly, and remaining true to natural beauty,” explains Dr Sinden.

2) They take the ‘good deal’

“Due to the nature of the business that celebrities are in, quite often they are offered things for free or in return for advertising,” says the CEO and founder of Haswell Aesthetics Medical Ltd., Natalie Haswell. “For us medical professionals, we know this isn’t ethical practice  — it is not something I do. But, sometimes it means celebrities end up with a treatment that might not be clinically indicated [ie suitable] for them.”

What can we learn: cheaper isn’t better 

It can be super tempting to seek out the most affordable option for the treatment you’re interested in, but while being price-conscious isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it should never come at the cost of your safety or results.

That’s why it is so important to do your research and focus on the expertise and qualifications of your chosen practitioner, not just the price or easy availability of a treatment. The best practitioners have trained (quite rightly) for years, so there is a cost associated with that, and you certainly want them to have invested in the correct equipment as well as high-quality products. Unfortunately, if the cost of a treatment feels ‘too good to be true’ it probably is.

3) They overly follow trends 

“I also think celebrities often follow trends, rather than seeing an ethical medical aesthetic injector who takes into account their gender, ethical background, and appropriate profile-balancing treatments,” explains Haswell. “I feel there are a lot of full-face filler treatments that are not required, resulting in over-injecting, and treatments that appear to make some celebrities look older rather than younger and more rejuvenated.”

“Celebrities may feel they need to try the latest aesthetic treatment, even though it may not be suitable for them,” agrees Dr Sinden. “Their desire to set trends and be at the cutting edge of aesthetics sometimes dominates the need for bespoke treatment plans performed by responsible medical practitioners.”

What can we learn: be an individual 

Even though you might have seen a treatment trending on social media as the next ‘must-try tweak’ – perhaps it was even marketed by your favourite celebrity – this doesn’t mean it’s the best one for you. Before diving in, you should always have a detailed consultation with your practitioner – which will involve a discussion about your personalised concerns and individual background. This will make sure that the tweak you have in mind would actually be beneficial to you, and if not, an alternative can probably be found.

It’s also at this stage that an experienced practitioner can help manage your expectations, including what your results could look like, how many treatments you may need, and the time it will take to see results. These are all things that can differ from person to person.

4) They don’t ask for second opinions

“Celebrities can be surrounded by people who may be reluctant to give critical feedback, so they might not receive candid advice which would help them avoid being over-treated,” warns Dr Sinden. “Their friends and peers might not want to offend them and so they lose those external checks and validation that we all seek when we have treatments.”

What can we learn: take the advice of a trusted friend

We’ve probably all had an occasion – be it a bad haircut or unflattering outfit – where we wished our friends or family had been honest with us (in a kind way, of course). It’s totally up to you who you tell (or don’t tell) about a treatment you are considering getting done, but it can be really beneficial to ask the opinion of one of your trusted friends or relatives, especially if you know they have tried something similar before.

It’s been refreshing over the past few years to see tweakments being talked about more openly. After all, the secrecy that has often shrouded the sector means we might not have traditionally got the support and advice we needed from those closest to us in the past. Just try to pick someone who will actually give their honest opinion and not just pander to your way of thinking.

5) They mismanage the patient-practitioner relationship

“Sometimes when you get a really big A-list celebrity coming in asking for a treatment, moving them away from it because it wouldn’t look nice, it is actually very difficult because their money and power can make them think that they’re always right,” says Dr El Muntasar. “People feel the need to say yes to them, but you have to learn to stand by your morals and medical expertise to offer the best advice to all patients no matter their status.”

“It can feel difficult for an injector to say ‘no’ to a celebrity, especially if the person has a particular treatment in mind and it’s something they are quite set on,” agrees Haswell. “It’s really important that practitioners do say ‘No’ though, if they don’t think a treatment is right for a patient.”

What can we learn: Listen to the experts 

While you might think you know exactly what you want when you walk into a clinic – and it can be disappointing to be told that a certain tweak might not work well for you – a reputable practitioner truly does have your best interests at heart. By all means, do go and get a second opinion if you disagree with what a particular expert is saying. That includes if you feel that they are pushing you to have more or different areas treated. But, if you’ve done your research and gone to the right type of practitioner, it is often worthwhile keeping their thoughts in mind.

Take the opportunity to ask lots of questions during your consultation too, and pay attention to what they say about aftercare. All of this will help you get the very best results from whatever treatment you have.

To help you make the whole process a little easier, discover the best practitioners for you in your area by heading to our practitioner finder.