Let’s be honest. I am going to explain how the world of beauty and facial rejuvenation really works. There are four levels: creams and what we do at home, gentle dermatological treatments, more intense procedures, and finally, plastic surgery. Now I want you to be honest with yourself: which of these levels are you at, and what result are you hoping to achieve?
And if you are wondering which of all these things I have done myself? The answer is very simple: I’ve done it all. Ha, ha, ha. I have experimented, researched, made mistakes, and also discovered wonderful treatments. That is why today I can explain to you what each thing does and what I would never do again.
Level 1: what you do every day at home
Daily skincare is the foundation. A good routine can improve hydration, radiance, and texture, and protect us from sun damage. What no cream can do is a facelift: it cannot remove excess skin or lift droopy eyelids. Your wrinkles and sagging will not magically disappear just by buying the most expensive product on the market.
And beauty also starts from within: drinking enough water, eating antioxidant-rich foods, sleeping, managing stress, and not smoking have an impact that no bottle can replace.
My skincare routine: [LINK] · Sunscreen I use: [LINK] · My favorites for hydration: [LINK]
Levels 2 and 3: from gentle to intense treatments
To keep the skin smooth and radiant, there are peels, microneedling, PRP, and treatments like AquaGold, which uses ultra-fine microchannels to apply a customized cocktail to the surface layers. They don't produce the result of a surgery, but they generate progressive and natural changes. Mind you: always with a trained professional, never at home.
When we want to work on dark spots, mild sagging, or collagen loss, we move up a level. I love CO₂ laser with PRP for renewal and radiance, although it isn't a gentle facial: it requires recovery, strict sun protection, and an experienced doctor. Ultherapy can tighten and stimulate, but it doesn't replace a facelift when there is already excess skin.
And the treatments I like most currently are biostimulators, such as Sculptra and Radiesse: instead of seeking a puffed-up face, they stimulate your own collagen. You leave the office without looking like a different person, and over time, you notice firmer skin and a fresher face. The trend I like isn't to transform the face, but to obtain subtle and progressive results.
What I wouldn't do again
I wouldn't try to correct sagging by injecting and filling my face over and over again. It is one thing to strategically use a biostimulator or a small amount of hyaluronic acid for a specific purpose. It is quite another to repeatedly place product until you change your facial features or lose your natural expression.
My motto is: before continuing to inject myself a thousand times to try to lift what is already sagging, I prefer to honestly evaluate if the time has come for surgery. Not because injections are bad, but because they cannot do the job of a scalpel.
Level 4: my decision to have surgery
I already have my facelift scheduled for next year. Many people tell me: "But Inés, you don't need that." I know that my face isn't "bad," but I don't want to wait until I feel like it is. My decision doesn't stem from a rejection of my face or fear of getting older: it stems from knowing the options and choosing what I consider appropriate for me. There is no universal age for a facelift; a person's anatomy, genetics, and goals matter more than the number on your ID.
After many years evaluating surgeons, I chose Dr. Miguel Mascaró. In my podcast, we talk about the types of facial surgery and the importance of adapting the procedure to each patient. The choice of surgeon cannot depend on who has more followers or the best price: it must be a certified professional with specific experience, in an accredited facility.
The most important treatment doesn't come in a syringe
We can get CO₂, biostimulators, and even an impeccable surgery. But if we live dehydrated, sleep-deprived, and permanently full of anxiety, nothing external can give us the glow we seek. Spirituality is also reflected in the face: gratitude, breathing, and the ability to be present produce a beauty that no doctor can inject into us. Taking care of ourselves shouldn't be a battle against aging; it should be a way to show gratitude for the body, the skin, and the life we have.
Before choosing a treatment, ask yourself:
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What am I really looking for?: Skin quality, radiance, collagen stimulation, or treating sagging that already requires surgery?
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Am I asking for a scalpel's work from injections?: Each level has its limits, and being honest about that changes everything.
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Am I choosing this for me?: Or because I am comparing myself to an unreal image?
And you, which of these levels do you feel you are at today?
Listen to my full conversation with Dr. Miguel Mascaró on "Te Tengo un Cuento" 🎧 → HERE