Are Facial Aesthetic Treatments Compatible with Being a Feminist?
It's a very subjective question. I consider myself a feminist. I grew up in a family of strong and independent women who also loved beauty, so in my mind there was never any contradiction between the two concepts. But I sometimes see patients who are a bit hesitant about doing treatments because they feel there could be a conflict with their feminist self.
Feminism is about equality between men and women. And the idea behind the fact that it could be anti-feminist is that beauty standards are set by men, women are objects and they need to fit in those beauty standards. Let's explore a few ideas that could make us think differently.
How the way we look can impact the way we interact with others
We can't deny the importance of appearance in our society and it's a vast and complex topic, but the way you look can also impact the way you interact with others. And feeling confident can empower you by allowing you to defend your opinions and show your personality. Like when you wear your favourite outfit, you feel great and comfortable and you're ready for any situation.
Though the beauty industry traces back to women altering their appearance to fit into societal standards, it must also be acknowledged it has developed with practices deeply connected to self expression and empowerment. Many women come to see me saying they don't look as they feel and they would like to do something that creates more harmony between their outer selves and their inner selves. If you look tired, people around you (at home with family or at work) may judge you less able to perform certain tasks or may hesitate before asking you to do something. If you are really tired it's a good thing but if you look tired and you're actually not, it may be frustrating.
Some are told they look angry when they are not and certain expressions of the face can carry a negative emotion that will then impact their relationships with people around them. Botox treatments are a good example. They can relax the muscles responsible for a permanent frown, without cancelling all facial expressions if the practitioner who performs the treatments is experienced and skilled. We wear our anxiety on our faces and sometimes reducing the facial tensions can help to reduce the anxiety itself. Many patients notice that frowning less somehow helps them to feel more relaxed because they don't feel tensions in their face all day long. Some people actually get Botox treatment for the sole purpose of getting migraine and headache relief.
The importance of self care
For a lot of women, taking care of themselves is a way to connect with their body, to show respect to themselves and to value themselves. I often see patients coming to me and saying it's one of the rare times they just pause everything else - work, family- and do something only for themselves. As a practitioner, one thing I love about my work is the relationships I build with my female patients. In all cultures, women have connected by taking care of each other. For example, the hamman have long served as sanctuaries for women offering both physical and emotional renewal, a space for socialising that can generate a sense of feminine solidarity. Sometimes taking care of the body means taking care of the soul.
The other day my osteopath told me our jobs were a bit similar. Because we both physically touch people to treat them, they open their souls more easily. Because those moments are so rare in our daily lives, moments when you actually focus on yourself and do something for yourself.
During lockdown, I was, like many women, happy not to bother with make up and what clothes to wear everyday. It saved so much time and effort. But you know what, after 1 month I would put lipstick on just for myself. It was not for my husband. And certainly not for anyone else as I would go out for errands with my FFP2 mask on covering half my face. It just felt good to take 10 minutes every morning for myself, to put on my lotions and potions.
I'm also thinking of some patients I saw who were going through difficult health issues like cancer. They were feeling down about their health and seeing themselves looking sad and anxious made them feel even worse. One told me the other day her mantra was 'Fake it until you make it'. It made her feel better to take care of herself not just medically speaking but also by taking care of her appearance to avoid feeling depressed seeing how the illness altered her normal appearance.
Not only women
It's interesting to note that there is an increasing number of male patients. A survey by the British College of Aesthetic Medicine reveals there has been a 70% increase in men's aesthetic treatments since 2021.Some are coming with their wives because they want to take care of their husbands, some men are coming by themselves. And self-care is becoming more and more important for men as well.
Being a feminist is also about making your own choices about your face and your body.Some women don't want their husband to notice they've had treatments, so they are not really doing it for them. Others tell me their husbands don't want them to have anything done. I think, in a way, it's being a feminist not to have someone tell you what to do or what not to do. The main thing is not to envision aesthetic treatments only as a way to fit in, to submit to the 'male gaze' and objectification.
The importance of appearance in our society is another debate in my opinion even though there is a complex link.
As a conclusion, I personally don't think facial aesthetic treatments are not compatible with being a feminist. It all depends on the motive. It is important to have a proper consultation with your practitioner to get guidance in the decision-making process. Your practitioner is not just a technician who will do what they are told to do. It is paramount to assess and discuss, and facial aesthetics should never be about making everyone look the same. In my opinion, it's about enhancing your natural beauty traits and respecting the unique character of each face to make you feel confident and empowered.
Consultation or treatment with Dr Thu Linh can be booked here.
