SCULPT FICTION

Is it true that fillers are the only way to get chiselled cheekbones? How can a strong chin rescue a chubby face? Are radio-frequency (RF) machines out of fashion? We ask aesthetic doctors and a plastic surgeon to weigh in on the facts and fallacies in the business of face contouring.

- SUSIE CHEAH

You know the old adage: diamonds light up your face and pearls cast a soft glow on your complexion. But what if your skin is looking dull and tired, or you’ve let one too many late nights take their toll and leave their weight on your complexion?

When you’ve slipped that sparkling necklace around your neck and affixed a cluster of diamonds on your ears, the last thing you’d want to draw attention to are dull skin, crow’s feet, saggy cheeks and droopy neck folds. To show off your treasure chest of sparkles, you’d want to wear them against a well structured canvas.

Next to smooth, taut skin, a V-shaped face, high-slope cheekbones and a sleek jawline are arguably the best showcase of the gorgeous sparkles on your ears and around your neck. Before you march into a clinic asking for a treatment you saw on TikTok, we ask highly experienced medical professionals Dr Georgia Lee, aesthetics practitioner, Dr Shirley Kwee, aesthetics practitioner and Dr Andrew Khoo, plastic surgeon, to share the most common myths they encounter about face sculpting or contouring.

MYTH #1: BOTOX PARALYSES MUSCLES AND CAUSES NUMBNESS

Botulinum toxin Type A, or “botox” as it’s commonly known, was initially a therapy used to treat ocular dystonia when it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989. In 2002, it was approved for cosmetic use. But today, 22 years after its successful adoption and application, it still cannot shrug off the myth that it “paralyses” muscles or causes numbness.

“Botox does not paralyse the muscles,” clarifies Dr Lee. “The toxin reduces the muscle activity and does not alter the sensation of the treatment areas if placed correctly. When such sensations are described by patients, more often than not, it is when the sub optimal dosage, placement or dilution of the Botulinum toxin is used.”