c/cosmetic-procedures

Debate: My derm said microneedling at home is fine but my esthetician freaked out when I told her

I did 3 sessions with a $40 roller from Amazon and saw good results on my acne scars, but now my esthetician says I probably damaged my skin barrier and should only do in-clinic treatments, so who do you believe when the advice completely contradicts each other?

The receptionist at my dermatologist's office made my day yesterday

Pro tip: I used to ask for "natural looking" lips and got terrible results

I kept telling my injector I wanted something subtle but always walked out looking like I had a duck face. After 3 bad sessions at a chain place in Phoenix, I switched to a nurse who actually showed me photos of what she meant by "filler mapping" and now I just say "give me the same volume as her photo #4" and my lips actually look like mine.

Hot take: I used to think fillers were only for old people, but at 29 I caved and tried them

My $25 lip flip gave me a lisp for 3 days

I tried a lip flip with just 4 units of Botox at a medspa in Portland and couldn't say the letter P properly when I ordered coffee the next morning, so has anyone else had their speech get weird temporarily with these tiny muscle relaxer shots?

PSA: My injector in Austin totally changed how I feel about fillers

Went to a new spot in Austin last month and the nurse talked me into a 'less is more' approach with my lip filler. She only did 0.5 ml instead of the full 1 ml I always got before. The result was way more natural and I didn't look like a duck for two weeks. So I'm curious, do you guys think less product is better or do you prefer that fuller look?

That lip flip I tried last month was honestly a waste of $250

I went to a med spa in Austin after seeing all these TikTok videos about how a lip flip gives you that perfect pout without filler. The nurse used Botox above my lip and it only took like 5 minutes. For the first week I couldn't even drink out of a straw right, my top lip was that stiff. By week three the effect was so subtle that nobody noticed, not even my mom who I see every Sunday. I feel like the whole thing is hyped up way more than it delivers. Has anyone else had a lip flip that actually made a difference?

Third day after my chin lipo and I look like a frog

I know swelling is normal but I woke up this morning and my double chin is somehow worse than before I paid $1,400 for the procedure. Has anyone else had this puffy stage last a full week or am I overreacting?

I dropped $800 on lip filler and it completely ruined my profile

Went to a popular clinic in Portland six months ago for a subtle touch up and now I have a duck lip shelf that makes me look like I'm pouting in every photo, has anyone else had a permanent change they regret?

My injector guy told me to stop using cheap filler and I didn't listen for 6 months

I went to a new med spa in Phoenix last year for lip filler and the nurse straight up said 'you're using way too much product for how fast it dissolves, it's the filler you're buying online.' I switched to Restylane instead of whatever budget stuff I was getting and it actually lasted 8 months instead of 3. Has anyone else had a big change from swapping brands after someone called them out?

My laser hair removal went wrong and now I have stripes

I went to this place in Austin last month for laser hair removal on my legs. The technician was young and seemed new, but I figured it was fine. She used the machine on settings that were way too high for my skin tone. Now I have these dark lines running down my legs like I got zebra print by accident. It's been 3 weeks and the marks aren't fading much. The clinic offered me a free touch-up session but I'm not sure I trust them again. Has anyone else had permanent marks from a bad laser job and did they ever go away?

My dermatologist told me to stop using retinol every night. Turns out she was right.

For about 6 months I was applying 0.05% retinol every single night because I thought more was better. My skin got red, flaky, and even broke out more. At my last checkup in March, my dermatologist in Denver said to cut back to 3 times a week and use a heavier moisturizer on off nights. I thought she was being too cautious. After 6 weeks of following her advice, my skin looks way better. No more peeling and the fine lines are actually fading. Has anyone else had success with cutting back on actives?

TIL 50% of lip filler dissolves in the first 3 months, not 6 or 12 like I thought

I was reading a study from a derm clinic in Austin that tracked 30 patients over a year, and it blew my mind that most people lose half their filler volume within 90 days. The rest hangs around for up to 18 months, but the immediate drop-off is crazy fast. I always assumed it was a slow fade, but nope, your body basically eats the hyaluronic acid way quicker than brands advertise. Now I totally get why some folks touch up after 8 weeks instead of waiting 6 months. Has anyone else noticed their lips looking different by month 2 compared to right after injection?

Why does nobody talk about how fillers mess with your smile?

I got lip filler 6 months ago at a place in Austin and it looked fine at first, but now my upper lip barely moves when I grin. Has anyone else noticed their smile looking weird or stiff after getting injections?

Wasted $800 on lip fillers that looked terrible for 6 months

I finally saved up and went to this trendy place in Portland for lip fillers because all my friends were doing it. The nurse convinced me to go with 1.5 syringes instead of 1 saying it would look "more natural" lmao. Two days later my lips were so swollen I couldn't even drink from a straw and when it went down they looked completely uneven. The left side was noticeably bigger and it cost me $800 plus $150 for the dissolve appointment that barely worked. Has anyone else dropped serious cash on a procedure that they instantly regretted?

My lip filler looked off for 2 years until a new nurse asked me one question

I went to the same injector for 5 years and always had this weird bump above my lip on the left side. A new nurse at the clinic asked if they used cannula or needle on me - I had no idea there was a difference. She switched me to cannula and now I'm wondering how many other people are getting bad technique without knowing it?

Appreciation post: the day my lip filler dissolved and I looked like a deflated balloon for 48 hours

Went in for a touch up at a new place in Austin and the nurse accidentally hit a blood vessel, so she had to put in hyaluronidase to undo everything. My lips went from plump to wrinkly prune status within an hour and my husband wouldn't stop laughing. Has anyone else had a dissolve day that made them look like a dried up raisin?

Found out the hard way laser hair removal takes way more sessions than they tell you

Rant: That $5,000 rhinoplasty I got 3 years ago

Everyone raves about nose jobs but mine left me with a crooked bridge and breathing issues that cost me $800 in CT scans to diagnose. Has anyone else had a revision that actually helped fix a botched result?

My mom's comment about my lip filler made me delete my appointment

I had a consult last week for tear trough filler, I was all set to book it. Then I was talking to my mom on the phone and she said something like "your face is fine, you just need to sleep more." It hit me different because she wasn't saying it to be mean, she was genuinely confused why I'd do it. I realized I've been chasing this idea of looking "refreshed" when really I'm just tired from working freelance til 2am every night. Has anyone else canceled a procedure after a random comment from a family member?

PSA: Stop letting your injector use the same needle for both cheeks

I was at a medspa in Denver last month and watched a girl get her cheeks done with the same needle the injector used on her chin. She ended up with a massive infection and I heard the injector say it was 'just to save time'. Why is nobody talking about how dangerous this practice is in real clinics?

My lip filler looked amazing for 3 weeks then turned into a lumpy mess

Got 1ml of Juvederm done 2 months ago at a place in Portland. First 3 weeks it looked perfect, natural, just what I wanted. Then around week 4 a hard lump showed up on my upper lip. Massaged it like they said, went back for a checkup, they said it's just scar tissue forming and to wait it out. It's been 8 weeks now and the lump is still there. The rest of the filler dissolved but this one spot stayed. Has anyone else had filler leave a permanent bump? Did yours ever go away or am I stuck with it?

Hit 3 months post-lip flip and finally seeing the subtle change I wanted

I got a lip flip done at a med spa in Austin back in October and honestly the first 6 weeks I was panicking that nothing happened lol. Then around week 10 the corner of my mouth just started lifting naturally when I smile and now I actually like my resting face in photos. Has anyone else had a lip flip take forever to really show results?

My aunt swore I'd regret lip filler and she was dead on

Back in 2019 my aunt June who had her lips done in the 80s told me to start with half a syringe max. I thought I knew better and got a full syringe at a place in Portland. The swelling was brutal for about 10 days and now 5 years later I can still feel little lumps when I press on them. Has anyone else gotten advice from an older relative that you wish you had listened to?

Spent $600 on laser hair removal and barely saw any difference

Honestly I went to this med spa in Denver called Glow Away and they sold me on a package of 6 sessions for full legs. After session 3 I was like okay nothing is happening but they said trust the process. Ngl by session 6 I still had the same amount of hair growing back and they refused to give me a refund. Has anyone else dealt with a place that overpromised results like that?