Dr. Jacono gives advice on over filling your face.

Dr. Andrew Jacono spots them coming from down the block. “Their faces, they’re as big as cabbages!” says the Upper East Side plastic surgeon. “I see women all the time; they’ve had too much work.” Jacono is one of a growing number of doctors who feel that an enthusiastic embrace of fillers and wrinkle-freezing injectables may paradoxically be making users look older. Here is why it’s happening and how to prevent it from happening to you.

Remember Filler Isn’t a Time Machine

One of the main reasons for overfilling is the belief that injectables are the answer to everything. “You can’t knock more than four years off your appearance with filler,” Dr. Jacono says. ” A lot of people will try to make you believe you can.” Some doctors will try to fill the face too much, making it look unnaturally wide and therefore older. “We associate a lack of proportion with advanced age.” It can also cause real problems for the skin, says Jacono. “Fillers act like tissue expanders: When you overfill for a long period of time, it adds weight that stretches out skin.” While some dermatologists feel that this may occur only if massive amounts of injectables beyond the norm as used, Dr. Jacono insists that this happened more than we realize. “Doctors are incentivized to use more product,” he says, a reference to some of the unscrupulous practices that go on.

Go Easy on Botox

It’s a miracle drug when used in appropriate does (Jacono uses half the recommended amount to get the most natural look), but Botox can also have the unintended effect of making you look older. Too much Botox also creates an unnatural smoothness, so skin looks shiny and waxen, adds Dr. Jacono.

Keep a Record

It’s easy to suffer from a phenomenon that Jacono dubs “Filler Fatigue.” “The more people use, the more they think they need next time,” explains Dr. Jacono, whose new book, The Park Avenue Face, comes out next month. The same goes for Botox. To prevent yourself from overdoing either, take photos of your face after each appointment, or ask an honest friend (with a measured anti-aging regimen) what she or he thinks for an added check.

Credit: Harper’s Bazaar May 2019: Is Your Work Making You Look Older? by Emily Listfield