Aesthetic Treatments: Your Most Common Questions Answered

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Do I need botulinum toxin or filler? What is a skin booster? Will I look unnatural? How much treatment do I actually need? And perhaps the biggest question of all: where do I start?

As a nurse prescriber working in medical aesthetics, I believe treatment should always begin with understanding your concerns rather than choosing a treatment from a menu.

Here are some of the questions I'm most commonly asked about aesthetic treatments.

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1. I know I want to look fresher, but I don't know what treatment I need. Where do I start?

This is probably one of the most common conversations I have.

You don't need to know which treatment you need before coming for a consultation. In fact, I would much rather you tell me what is bothering you and what you would like to improve.

You might say:

From there, I can assess what may be contributing to the change and talk you through your options.

When assessing the face and skin, I tend to think about five key areas. Looking at these together helps us create a treatment plan rather than simply treating one isolated concern.

2. What's the difference between botulinum toxin and dermal filler?

Although they are often talked about together, they work very differently.

Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine that temporarily reduces the activity of selected muscles. It can be used to soften expression lines such as frown lines and forehead lines, as well as strategically treating muscles in areas of the lower face and neck.

Dermal fillers are injectable gels, commonly made from hyaluronic acid, which can be used to restore or enhance volume and provide structural support.

The right treatment depends on why a particular line, fold or change has developed. And sometimes neither is the best starting point — which is exactly why we start with an assessment rather than a product.

3. Will aesthetic treatments make me look fake or overfilled?

They shouldn't.

My approach is to aim for results that look natural, balanced and appropriate for you. Good aesthetic treatment isn't necessarily about making dramatic changes. Often, the best results come from small, carefully planned treatments carried out gradually.

Friends and family may notice that you look fresher or more rested without necessarily being able to identify exactly what you've had done. That, to me, is the best possible outcome.

4. What are skin boosters?

Skin boosters are injectable treatments designed primarily to improve skin quality and hydration rather than significantly change the shape of your face.

Depending on the product and treatment chosen, they can support hydration, elasticity and overall skin condition. They're particularly useful when someone says:

Examples include treatments such as Profhilo and other injectable skin-quality treatments within the skin booster family.

5. What's the difference between skin boosters and biostimulators?

This is an increasingly common question, and an important distinction.

Skin boosters primarily focus on improving qualities such as hydration and skin condition.

Biostimulatory treatments, such as Sculptra, are used differently. They stimulate biological processes within the skin — including collagen production — and their effects develop progressively over several months rather than producing an immediately visible finished result.

Which approach is appropriate depends on your age, skin quality, facial anatomy, treatment goals and medical history. This is why a proper assessment matters so much — the same concern can have very different solutions depending on the individual.

6. What can be done for jowls?

Jowls are rarely caused by one thing alone.

Changes in facial volume, skin laxity, bone structure and the pull of facial muscles can all contribute to changes in the jawline as we age. This means simply placing filler directly into the jowl isn't always the answer — and can sometimes make things worse.

When I assess someone with concerns about their jawline, I look at the cheeks, pre-auricular area, jawline, chin and pre-jowl area, as well as skin quality and muscle activity. Only then do I make recommendations. Depending on the individual, a plan might involve dermal filler, botulinum toxin, collagen-stimulating treatments or skin-focused treatments — sometimes in combination.

7. Can you treat under-eye hollows?

Sometimes, but the under-eye area needs careful assessment.

What looks like a tear trough may actually be influenced by volume changes elsewhere in the mid-face. Supporting the cheek first can sometimes improve the transition between the lower eyelid and cheek without immediately treating the tear trough itself.

That's why I prefer to assess the whole mid-face rather than looking at the under-eye area in isolation. Treating a consequence rather than a cause is one of the most common reasons people feel underwhelmed by results.

8. What's the best treatment for improving skin quality?

There isn't one treatment that is best for everyone.

For pigmentation, uneven tone, fine lines, enlarged pores, textural changes or general loss of radiance, options might include microneedling, chemical peels, skin boosters or collagen-stimulating treatments — often in combination, and always alongside an appropriate skincare routine.

Your home skincare matters too. Clinic treatments can achieve a great deal, but daily sunscreen and an appropriate skincare routine are an important part of maintaining and building on results. I will always advise you on what to use at home as part of your treatment plan.

9. How many treatments will I need?

This depends entirely on what we're trying to achieve.

Some treatments can produce a noticeable change after one appointment, while others work best as a course or develop progressively over several months. I often explain aesthetics as a journey rather than a one-off treatment — ageing happens gradually over many years, so trying to address everything in one appointment isn't always appropriate or even possible.

There may be more investment at the beginning while we address your main concerns, followed by a much simpler maintenance programme once we've achieved the result we're aiming for. The goal is always to get you to a point where you feel good, and then keep you there sensibly.

10. How often do I need aesthetic treatments?

Again, this depends on the treatment, your individual response and your goals.

Rather than automatically repeating treatments according to a rigid timetable, I prefer to review how you're responding and decide what is actually needed. Once someone's initial treatment plan is complete, maintenance might involve occasional injectable treatments alongside periodic skin treatments and a good home skincare routine.

The aim isn't to be constantly having treatments. It's to maintain your results sensibly over time.

11. Am I too young — or too old — for aesthetic treatments?

Age alone doesn't determine whether a treatment is appropriate.

Two people of exactly the same age can have very different facial anatomy, skin quality, lifestyles and concerns. Rather than treating according to a number, I assess the individual in front of me.

And sometimes the right recommendation is not to treat at all. If I don't think treatment will give you a meaningful benefit, I will tell you honestly — even if that's not what you were hoping to hear.

12. How do I know which practitioner I can trust?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask.

Don't be afraid to ask about a practitioner's professional background, qualifications, prescribing arrangements, experience, insurance and how complications are managed. A practitioner who is confident in their clinical standards will welcome those questions without hesitation.

You should also feel that you're being listened to rather than sold to. A good consultation should explain the potential benefits, limitations, alternatives, risks and likely costs of treatment, and give you the opportunity to make an informed decision — without pressure.

So, where should I start?

Start with your concern — not the treatment.

You don't need to arrive saying "I need 2ml of filler" or "I need Profhilo." Tell me what you've noticed, what bothers you and what you would like to improve. From there, we can look at your tone, texture, laxity, volume and hydration, identify what's contributing to your concerns and create a personalised plan together.

For me, aesthetic medicine isn't about changing the way you look. It's about understanding how your face and skin are changing over time — and using carefully selected, evidence-based treatments to help you look refreshed, balanced and still recognisably you.