The need to look good

NOT QUESTION OF WHY BUT WHEN

Whenever 35-year-old Lincoln Chia talks to his peers about aesthetic procedures, it is never about “why do them, but when”.

“Some of them say 40 is a good age (to start aesthetic treatments), others say 45. When I tell my friends about my treatments, they are actually quite blasé about it. I think eventually my peers, male and female, will undergo aesthetic treatments at some point in their lives, he said.

Being behind the camera has not stopped the film-maker from sprucing up his looks.

At 25, Mr Chia underwent his first procedure — a S$700 filler treatment to enhance the bridge of his nose. He wanted to look his best for a film festival in Hong Kong where his film was selected for screening.

Recently, he underwent a S$6,600 mixed bag of aesthetic treatments. Among them are bio-stimulating filler injections, which stimulate the body’s collagen production, to pad up his cheeks and enhance his cheek bones.

He also corrected his tear troughs, which made his under-eye area look sunken and tired, and got hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injections for a sharper jawline and chin.

“Although I want to look good, I don’t want to spend too much time grooming myself and do not have a five-step skincare regimen, so minimally-invasive treatments like these actually suit me very well. I feel more confident after the treatments,” said Mr Chia.

MAINTAINING HIS LOOKS FOR WORK AND WIFE

Fillers and botulinum toxin jabs are as routine as putting on a suit or a polished pair of shoes for work to Mr John Battersby, something he never imaged he would subject himself to 10 years ago.

The impetus to look youthful came from being surrounded by younger adults in the marketing line of work, and having a much younger wife.

“Now that I am in my mid-fifties, not looking so tired and grumpy is my main concern. My wife was the first who suggested (that I undergo aesthetic treatments). She is 18 years younger and used to joke that people might start thinking I am her father if I did not look after myself,” said the 57-year-old.

Being surrounded by people who are 10, 20 or even 30 years his junior at work has also given him a certain pressure to look good, especially when meeting potential clients.

Over the last two years, he has had HA fillers to reduce dark eye circles and the nasolabial fold lines running along his nose and mouth. He also had botulinum toxin injections to erase his forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet.

His doctor also recommended HA filler injections to build up his cheeks and broaden his narrow face to improve his facial height-to-width proportion, which some studies suggest could denote physical attractiveness. Men with a higher facial width-to-height ratio are generally perceived to be more attractive to women.

Although Mr Battersby does not actively bring up his aesthetic treatments in conversations, he does not try to hide it either.

“I think it’s a bit silly to try and hide it. We were at a dinner party last week and a friend, who is slightly younger, asked how come I look 10 years younger than him. I just smiled and gave him my doctor’s number,” he said.