Overwhelmed by information at a consult - how can I sort it out?


Sep 17, 2011
-------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Dr. Irwin, I'm in my early 30s and went in for my very first consultation with a reputable cosmetic dermatologist to find out what I could start doing now to keep myself looking great through my 30s and into my early 40s- My goal was to prioritize treatments for now and find out what to save up for over the next few years. I'm writing because I came away overwhelmed and ended up not booking any treatments- I felt like they threw the kitchen sink at me! You name it; fillers, botox, thermage, fraxel- and all in the near future. I'm definitely starting to show some signs of aging, but I'm still often mistaken for being in my late 20s and show few signs of sun damage, thanks to religious sunscreen use. Is it common for someone as young as me to have all those procedures or is it up to the patient to prioritize what treatment they have to do? I've consequently booked a consultation with another dermatologist to get a second opinion, but I'd love to hear your thoughts- How do you know when a dermatologist is being too aggressive? Thanks!

I think this is a frequent problem and I've heard this from many other women too!  So a couple of things - no - at your age you do not need all these treatments.  If you're in your early 30s and want to work on preventing problems later, first optomize your products  - including a good antioxidant, great sunscreen and tretinoin or retinol or TNS Recovery (cell growth factors) at night.  If you truly have frown lines, start with a little Botox.  If not, you don't need it.  Then pick one collagen building modality to  do once a year.  As you get more educated in this area, you can add things later.  The important thing is to just get started in the right direction.

I think a second opinion is a good idea.  It may be that your dermatologist was just trying to educate you about all the options.  But....... in my opinion ........ you should never feel pressured to make a decision right away.  A good office will ask you to read, study, and ask questions so that you can make an educated decision and be comfortable.   Also, unless you have a skin cancer, there is no urgency here whatsoever. Here are some tips on how to find a good dermatologist.   Dr. I



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