The trends for 2012: Dr. Frodo's forecast

The new year always brings with it a large number of lists of the new trends in cosmetic medicine. Here are my predictions for 2012:

Less and less invasive treatments

In 2012, we will see the continuation of a trend that has already started in recent years. People are increasingly afraid of radical surgical treatments. Plastic surgery makes room for reversible, less invasive treatments. This is partly due to the spectre of poorly performed and excessive use of plastic surgery and partly because of the realization that things can be done differently. We increasingly see images of once beautiful celebrities who have exchanged their original beauty for an unnatural plastic look. It hurts to watch! I think people are increasingly realizing that beauty and old age go hand in hand, without major, irreversible surgery. In other words, the philosophy of aging radiantly is catching on!

Fake is out, aging radiantly is in

A healthy lifestyle combined with targeted, non-invasive, reversible treatments ensure that you maintain your natural beauty for as long as possible. We need to get rid of the idea that getting old automatically means we're going to look worse. Just look at actress Helen Mirren, a wonderful example of how it's possible. Everyone is getting old, that is inevitable. We can fight against old age, but that is a fight that everyone will lose in the long run. We can also embrace aging, by moving with our age instead of wanting to reverse it. The best version of yourself, that's what it's about. Just take a good look at pictures of Helen Mirren on the internet. You see a woman around 65, because that's how old she is, but with a very beautiful, natural beauty and healthy appearance. That's what everyone can achieve. I am convinced of that.

Customer version 2.012

What I notice more and more and what I expect will only become more in 2012 is that my customers come to me more and more informed. This is mainly due to the growth of the internet and the various internet forums where customers can obtain and discuss information about clinics and treatments. I welcome that, and hope that there will be more and more openness. There are doctors who find it difficult to deal with this. They prefer to use the old image of the omniscient doctor and the customer who agrees with everything. I would much rather my customers have read about the possibilities, qualities and possible difficulties of various cosmetic treatments. When the customer is with me, we can have an intelligent and open discussion about the possibilities, in which it is much easier to address the exact wishes.

The Netherlands is healthy

Health awareness continues to grow among the Dutch. I am getting more and more questions from my customers how they can live a healthier life and I expect this trend to continue in 2012. I would like to underline how important regular exercise and a healthy diet are for your beauty. The joke is that it's not as extreme as many people think. You don't have to stand in a gym every day or just eat lettuce and seeds. Preferably not! Exercising a few times a week (in the broadest sense of the word) and making sure you eat healthy (not overeating and regular superfoods such as fish, fruit and vegetables, yoghurt, legumes, nuts and grains) are more than enough for most of us to look good. Regularity is especially important. It must be a lifestyle. In addition, you can enjoy red meat, fries or alcohol from time to time. The investment you make with a healthy lifestyle pays off many times. Not only do you look healthier, but you feel better and happier, have more meaning in life, and suffer less from conditions such as depression and stress. Sometimes I don't understand why people aren't making the change to a healthy lifestyle, there are only benefits! The hardest part is usually the first step. How and where do you put it? We are happy to help you achieve your good intentions.

one

What I also notice is that men are increasingly finding their way to me. Often alone, but sometimes with their partner. This is a trend that I suspect will continue this year. For men, the shame of being found “vain” is a bit off. Fortunately, because aging beautifully applies just as much to men as it does to women. A man may care less about a youthful appearance but wants to look good. Healthy skin, a good body — that's what men are looking for. Those wishes fit perfectly into my philosophy. For some men, the step to come to me alone is still too big. That's when they meet with their partner for the first time. But the second time, they do come alone. Women sometimes come to me with several at the same time; a group of friends, for example. I don't see men doing that so quickly!

New products

2012 is the year in which a number of new, interesting products will find their way to market. We will keep an eye on them and report to you on further developments. This year, you'll be seeing and hearing more and more of Bocouture, a neurotoxin just like Botox and Dysport. Bocouture is also known as “the naked injectable” because it does not contain any additives or complex proteins found in Botox or Dysport. It is suggested that this reduces the risk of an unpleasant side effect. However, this discussion is rather scientific. Botox has now been tested so safely and extensively that this is almost no longer the case anyway. There are also a number of other neurotoxins that are currently in the clinical testing phase that seem to be truly revolutionary. These products can be applied to the skin with the same effects as Botox, Dysport or Bocouture without the need for injections. That is, of course, something to look forward to. It is still unclear when these products will find their way to the Dutch market, but there is a chance that they will be approved for cosmetic use in America as early as this year. One trend I've mentioned before is the use of neurotoxins for non-cosmetic purposes, and we're going to see more of that in 2012. Botox has already been approved as a medicine for treating chronic migraines in several countries. That breakthrough could also take place in the Netherlands this year. There were also developments in the field of fillers in 2012. The product LaViV represents a new generation of fillers, which are made using own skin cells. A tiny number of skin cells are used to create a “body's own” filler. The inserted filler produces extra collagen, which makes the wrinkle-softening effect all the greater. In that regard, this technology looks a bit like the popular Vampire Facelift, which we'll probably see more of as well. In addition, the patient's own blood is applied to the face to soften wrinkles and lines. The idea is that the body achieves its own reconstruction as much as possible. In the medical world, there are still doubts whether these methods are really effective, or whether their popularity is mainly due to a number of well-known names who have used the procedure. I'm afraid the second is probably the case, but we'll keep you posted.

2012

In short, 2012 will be the year of aging brilliantly! Less is more: a healthy lifestyle complemented by highly targeted, non-invasive treatments is becoming the trend. On behalf of everyone at Clinic Doctor Frodo Gaymans, I wish you a happy and healthy 2012.