28-04-2025
How To Be Practical About Aesthetic Treatments On A Budget
Beautiful woman is about to be injected with dermal filler in her cheeks
Who can forget the 'Botox parties' of the 2010s? As a true indicator of simpler times, an organizer would join forces with an injector to offer neurotoxin aesthetic treatments on a budget for a wide group of attendees. It was a win for guests looking to save a buck, and a win for the injector who could collect a large sum of money in one sitting. Guests would receive their treatment (for better or worse) at someone's house, and be on their way.
In 2025, however, with endless technology and commonplace plastic surgery, Botox and dermal fillers are just a tip of the iceberg. As board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory Mueller puts it, the 'crazy' Groupon codes of the early aughts just aren't cutting it anymore. Today's beauty consumer is 'much more savvy,' he says, thanks to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. But consumers still aren't past cutting corners where they can.
'I just saw a patient the other day who went to a provider who charged one fee for an infinite amount of filler or Botox,' the Beverly Hills-based doctor says. 'This person didn't even know what had been injected, and they had an over-filling of the area underneath the eye, where the patient didn't even need to have filler. The patient needed to have a lower blepharoplasty or lower eyelid lift.'
The desire to stop at nothing to achieve an ideal look comes as no surprise, based on a global Pillars of Confidence study recently conducted by Merz Aesthetics. Among the 15,000 adults surveyed, 72% said aesthetic treatments impact how they view themselves. Aging is unsurprisingly a critical factor in the decision to receive said treatments, as 47% in the study said they don't want to be perceived as someone older, and 35% are worried the beauty they had when they were younger will fade as they get older. Only 18% said they were excited about getting older.
The first step to assessing aesthetic treatments on a budget is taking the time to meet with a qualified practitioner. Their job is to guide based on an individual's specific needs, age and work they've already had done. Detailed research is key, and a quick fix option may require even more treatments down the line to make up for error.
'A lot of these treatments are happening in a really transactional environment,' explains Dr. Shannon Humphrey, a Canadian cosmetic dermatologist and Merz Aesthetics global key opinion leader. 'Maybe it's the med spa in the corner, where someone's calling up and saying, I want filler, how much does it cost? Or, is X how much it costs? Will you do the filler? It's a pervasive strategy of care that's called transactional. It's important to understand that a medical aesthetic procedure is sold as a commodity, like retail, when really it's a type of medicine. It should happen after a thorough consultation, a discussion and deeper understandings of risks, benefits and alternatives.'
Jennifer Gerace, a paramedical licensed esthetician in Beverly Hills, says, 'Everyone these days is on a budget—and I truly believe that looking and feeling your best shouldn't be a luxury reserved for a few. My approach begins with really listening to my client's concerns, goals and financial boundaries. From there, we co-create a treatment plan that's both effective and economically sustainable. I'm a firm believer in transparency and education. Instead of pushing unnecessary add-ons, I guide clients toward what's truly beneficial for their skin, and skip what they don't need. Budgeting isn't about doing less, it's about doing smarter.'
Where a med spa, for example, may encourage 'filler after filler after filler,' Dr. Mueller says, 'Eventually that adds up and a patient may want to consider coming in for a surgical procedure, where we use fat grafting, which lasts a lifetime.'
Some argue that aesthetics are all or nothing, and if a patient chooses to care about their skin, there must be a dedicated budget.
'People can really think about the value of looking young,' Dr. Mueller says. 'I think aesthetics should be part of everyone's budget. It should be part of what people consider when they look at their finances to take care of their skin. I mean that's the largest organ of the body. It's the most exposed to the elements, and it's important for us to allocate some resources to take care of that.'
According to Netherlands-based aesthetics physician Dr. Daria Voropai, a beauty budget should be set aside in the same way as any other budget.
'You need to have a beauty budget like you have a budget for travel,' the Merz Aesthetics global key opinion leader says. 'If you have a beauty budget, in the year we can plan out your treatments. If you have a big budget, you can go all the way. If you have a small budget, we pick and choose. But for every budget, there's aesthetics. If you have a little budget, please take care of your skin, because that's your outer version. Sunscreen, hat, that's already 50 to 80%. Light lasers, good skincare routine, exfoliators, antioxidants.'
Part of determining how that aesthetics budget should be spent is figuring out how you will age.
'We have a lot of women who need treatments to calm down their muscles,' she says. 'Are you prone to swelling? Then you have to shrink a little bit of your anatomical layers in order for it not to pop out. How you're going to age is something that you need to educate yourself on. How does my mother look? You pick out those points and you work on them.'
Confident woman smiling under a beautiful sky
While aesthetic treatments can amplify preexisting confidence, they can't create it. They also can't serve as a one-and-done solution to appearance goals. So before considering aesthetic treatments on a budget, it's crucial for a patient to think longterm.
'When I'm sitting in front of a patient, I assess them and make sure they're mentally ready to have an aesthetic procedure,' Dr. Mueller says. 'I want to make sure that they're motivated for the right reasons, and that they also have realistic expectations about what we're going to do.'
Lifestyle plays a major role in the aftermath of any treatment, and Dr. Mueller ensures his patients are aware a treatment will not fix their problems.
'We talk to our patients about how it is important to live a healthy life, a balanced life,' he says. 'We ask if they're experiencing any major life events, and how important it is to hold off on doing a procedure until those events have reached a steady state. Certainly, things like meditation and a healthy work-life balance are all very important, and I think it's all tied into the holistic approach.'
Even when it comes to cutting-edge body contouring technology like BodyFX, Emsculpt Neo, and Pure Impact by Sofwave, the machines will only do so much.
'Regular exercise, a balanced diet and staying well-hydrated will maximize fat reduction and skin tightening,' explains Limor Dawoody, PA-C MPAP, of Le Jolie Medi Spa in West Hollywood.
And even then, you may still need to combine multiple modalities to 'take results to the next level,' she says. 'I've seen clients who commit to combinations like BodyFX and Emsculpt Neo walk away with jaw-dropping transformations. They look more toned, lean and sculpted than they ever thought possible.'
Once a patient achieves the look they set out to achieve, the actual aesthetics are half the battle, according to Dr. Humphrey.
'Treatments can only deliver a positive psychological benefit for patients who are already confident,' she says. 'Patients must have good self-esteem. They must have a strong sense of self. And they have to be able to articulate what subtle changes will improve their confidence. They don't work for people who are very self-conscious. They don't work for people who have a deeper issue around self-esteem or psychological or mental health. Patients who basically don't like themselves will not like themselves more if you change a subtle physical appearance.'
If a person is unhappy to begin with, they can easily be subject to the perception shift paradigm.
'The perception of patients receiving aesthetic care can drift from one negative feature to another,' Dr. Humphrey explains. 'They have a bump on the nose, they get that fixed, and then they see the upper lip is too small, and then they get the upper lip fixed, and they notice they have chin retrusion, and they get the chin retrusion fixed, and then they notice their eyebrows are too big, and then they get that fixed. It's scary and sad.'
Limor Dawoody, PA-C MPAP, performs an Emsculpt body sculpting treatment on a client
The harsh reality of aesthetic treatments on a budget (of any size) is the process is a lifelong commitment.
'Even when patients ditch the treatments and say, should I just get surgery and then be done with it?, they're not done with it,' Dr. Humphrey says. 'You just have a new baseline, right? And then you still need all these other things to age well.'
And for patients who opt for next-gen body technology, they aren't one-and-done treatments.
'While noticeable results can begin after just one or two sessions, we always emphasize that these technologies are most effective when performed as part of a series,' explains Dawoody. 'Consistency amplifies results and helps them last longer. Think of it like going to the gym—you'll feel a difference after one session, but the transformation happens over time.'
In the days of Groupon and Botox parties, aesthetic treatments on a budget may have done a patient dirty. But in 2025, these options aren't the only way out. Utilizing social media to find a highly certified practitioner is the best first step. Even if a patient doesn't have the budget to meet their aesthetic treatment goals, an expert can at least guide them to best at-home skincare and practices.
'On a limited budget, people should go to the basics,' Dr. Mueller says. 'Don't go to the department store to buy your skincare. Go to a physician. Go to a person who has vetted out skincare and who is really interested in taking good care of you, not taking your money. Sunscreen and things like Retin-A are inexpensive and very effective. Proper hydration, staying out of the sun, living a healthy life, minimizing alcohol intake, not smoking—all those sorts of things are going to help a person with a limited budget, and also help them maintain a stable weight.'
Easy skincare practices can also include everyday tools and routines, with occasional trips to professionals.
'Sometimes the most affordable thing you can do is invest in treatments that support the skin's ability to regenerate over time,' Gerace says. 'This includes modalities like facial acupuncture, lymphatic drainage techniques or even face yoga. These are holistic, effective and empowering for the client. At the end of the day, aesthetics on a budget is about value, not just price. It's about creating a plan that delivers visible results, supports skin health and respects the client's wallet.'
Above all else, it's important to remember that aesthetic treatments on a budget of any kind don't make a difference if a patient is unhappy inside. Treatments can act as a Band-Aid, they don't fix the heart of the problem. They also aren't a one-and-done thing, so it's key to keep a budget ongoing.
