Cosmetic Procedures You Don’t Need – One Doctor Shares Her Thoughts

Cosmetic surgery is a popular topic on TikTok with both doctors and patients discussing popular procedures while also showing how treatments are performed and the results that can be gained by patients. There is so much information in the videos shared on this platform that it is sometimes difficult to determine if the person posting the video is knowledgeable about the topic they are discussing. One of the most popular medical professionals on TikTok is Nicole James, a cosmetic doctor, who discusses cosmetic procedures with her followers. She also recently shared which cosmetic procedures she feels are not necessary for patients and even discussed some of the risks associated with each treatment.

Let’s begin with an in-depth look at this story from Cosmetic Town News:

Cosmetic Procedures – No Need for the Fox Eye Lift?

In the caption of the video, Dr. Nicole James said, “Cosmetic procedures that you just don’t need! Jumping on the de-influencing trend to tell you to cancel your appointment asap!”

The first procedure she discussed was the fox eye look which often uses threads to lift the outer corner of the eyes towards the temple. The lifting of this area of the eyes results in an almond shape to the eyes. The fox eye shape comes about because the outer corner of the eye is higher than the inner corner of the eye.

Besides the use of threads to achieve the desired look, cosmetic surgeons can also use Botox and fillers as well as performing a brow lift or an upper eye lift to gain the desired results. In addition, a lateral canthopexy can be performed to move the outer corner of the eye so the eye is swept upwards in appearance.

Patients who have this procedure are ones who decide not to place fox eye makeup on their face in order to gain this popular look. Depending on the type of fox eye treatment performed by the cosmetic surgeon, the final results could be long-lasting but will require follow-up treatments to maintain the results.

Dr. James does not hold back her opinion when she states this procedure is a waste of both time and money for patients. She also shared the news that there is a possibility of noticeable scars being left on the face. In one of her TikTok videos, she explained, “To be honest, the lift you get is not actually that good.  Once they cut off those little surgical ties, it all just droops back to normal.”

Cosmetic Procedures – Butterfly Lip No More?

Another cosmetic procedure that is often trending on social media platforms such as Instagram is the butterfly lip. In this procedure, the doctor injects lip filler into the lips in order to give them enough extra height that they start to resemble the shape of butterfly wings.

The dermal filler injection is necessary to enhance the volume and shape of the lips. Once the filler is injected into the lips, the medical professional will massage the treated area so the filler will be evenly distributed in the lips. The total amount of filler that is injected depends on the shape of the lips of the patient and the desired final look. The treatment will be customized to meet the specific needs of the patient.

According to Dr. James, the procedure can be a bit more expensive than other lip filler options. She also feels that the butterfly lip procedure is not worth the money. When pointing to the areas located around the mouth, she warns that the treatment is a “recipe for migration all up here.” While the lips might look great when leaving the office of a medical professional, the doctor shares the prediction that the results might not look the same after a month.

Cosmetic Procedures – Possible Risks of a Non-Surgical Nose Job

The final cosmetic procedure she shared a warning about was non-surgical/noninvasive rhinoplasty. This is a popular option for patients who want to make a change to the look of their nose but don’t want to have an invasive surgical procedure to make the desired changes. The procedure does not take long to perform, and it starts with the doctor numbing the top of the nose before injecting the filler into specific areas of the nose. The determination of the injection points depends on the amount of correction that is scheduled to be performed. Once the filler is placed in the nose, it can eliminate the look of humps and depressions, give the nose a straighter look, and change the angle of the tip of the nose. The final results are not permanent so the patient will need to have additional treatments to maintain the results.

Some of the common risks of this treatment include bleeding, asymmetry to the results, swelling, bruising, possible scarring, infection, and itching.

No matter what changes a patient wants to make to their appearance, they need to visit a board-certified doctor for a consultation appointment and medical advice instead of simply using TikTok or Instagram videos (even one posted by a medical professional) to gain information about cosmetic surgery.

- MA