Inside the Mind of an Aesthetic Doctor

When I walk through London, I observe faces differently than most. Where others see people, I see canvases – some beautifully enhanced, others telling stories of misguided attempts at eternal youth. This unique perspective comes from years of understanding that aesthetic medicine is fundamentally an art form, one that requires not just medical expertise, but an artist's eye.

The question that haunts our industry is simple yet profound: what separates a true aesthetic artist from someone who merely injects fillers? The answer lies in understanding that we're not just treating areas like cheeks, lips and chin – we're crafting harmony across the entire face.

The Artist vs The Technician

How do you judge a painting? You begin with the artist. Today, we live in an era where graffiti artists and Leonardo da Vinci are both called 'artists' – but which would you rather own? This same principle applies to aesthetic medicine. The proliferation of nurses and doctors offering filler treatments has created a vast spectrum of practitioners, but not all possess the artistic vision required for truly beautiful results.

It's about class – mental class, if you will. The ability to see beyond individual features and understand facial harmony as a whole. When I assess a patient's face, I'm not just looking at whether their lips need enhancement or their cheeks require volume. I'm studying the relationship between these elements, understanding how each enhancement will affect the overall aesthetic composition.

Understanding Facial Architecture

There's a fundamental difference between beautification and age-reversal treatments. Beautification addresses structural imbalances – a short chin that makes lips appear to protrude, a weak jawline that disrupts facial proportions, or inner concave lips that create an indented appearance. These require an understanding of facial geometry and proportions.

Age-related treatments, however, require a different approach entirely. A hyaluronic acid makeover can beautifully change a profile, but understanding how to optimise a 40-year-old's face requires experience and nuanced thinking. Should I be treating a slim, oval face that has developed hollowing, or a round, heavy face with dropped jowls? The answer isn't found in textbooks – it comes from years of artistic observation and clinical experience.

The Art Cannot Be Taught

Here's the uncomfortable truth: we cannot teach art. I've tried. While we can teach ratios, proportions, and basic aesthetic principles, the instinctive understanding of beauty – that ability to see what a face needs rather than what a patient thinks they want – is something that comes from within.

This doesn't mean that all injectors without formal art training cannot inject well. Many follow established ratios and possess basic aesthetic sense, and face counting is indeed straightforward. However, the truly transformative work – the kind that enhances natural beauty rather than creating an obviously 'done' appearance – requires something more.

My background as a Board Member of the Jimmy Choo Fashion Academy has profoundly influenced my approach to aesthetic medicine. Fashion and beauty are inextricably linked, and understanding design principles, proportions, and the psychology of beauty translates directly into how I approach facial enhancement. The clinic's location, just five minutes from JCA on Oxford Street, serves as a constant reminder of this intersection between fashion, art, and aesthetic medicine.

The Philosophy of Natural Enhancement

The most challenging aspect of my work isn't the technical injection technique – it's helping patients understand the difference between improvement and attempting to turn back time completely. There's a distinction between graceful aging and trying to remain twenty forever.

When I see faces with obvious filler work, I often wonder what the practitioner was thinking. Were they giving the patient exactly what they asked for, or were they applying their artistic judgment? The best results come when we can guide patients toward choices that enhance their natural beauty rather than creating an artificial version of youth.

This is where the art truly lies – in knowing when to say no, when to suggest alternatives, and how to create results that people notice without being able to identify exactly what's been done. Whether enhancing cheeks for better facial balance, adding subtle volume to lips, or strengthening a chin for improved profile, the goal is always harmony, never obviousness.