How screwed are you if you don’t like it? An honest guide.

A new patient came in recently for an initial consultation and she was feeling really confused about how seriously she should take the decision to try botox for the first time. 

She felt conflicted because she saw herself as a “I’d never do that” kind of girl, but recently she noticed frown lines etched between her eyebrows where they hadn’t been before. She found herself wondering, “how big of a deal is this?!” 

We had a funny but enlightening conversation about how screwed we’d be if we didn’t like the results from a variety of treatments, including nail polish, hair dye, Botox, and filler, topping it off with facelift surgery.

After our chat, I decided to make a scale for anyone else wondering the same things. The scale works like this… 

Zero is makeup: You hate it, you wash it off. Ten is a facelift: You hate it, you're screwed (sorry but it’s true!).

Everything else falls somewhere in between, and knowing where your treatment lands before you start is part of making a decision you'll feel good about.

Let's walk through it.

Makeup — 0

Wash it off. Done. No explanation needed.

Nail polish — 1

Takes about a week to chip off on its own. Maybe ten minutes with remover. Essentially zero commitment.

CO2 laser, chemical peel, microneedling & PRP, weight loss peptides — 2

These all land at a 2 for different reasons, but the common thread is: they're either temporary, gradual, or both.

CO2 laser and chemical peels can cause redness and peeling during recovery — so there's a window where you might not love what you see. But that's the healing process, not the result. The result improves over weeks, and if you're not thrilled, you simply don't do it again.

Microneedling and PRP are gentle enough that most people feel fine going out in public within 24-48 hours, and results build slowly over time. No dramatic commitment.

Weight loss peptides are dosed, adjusted, and stopped. If they're not working for you, you just stop taking them. The effects of your most recent dose won’t last more than a week or two. 

Botox / wrinkle relaxers — 3

Here's something most people don't realize: Botox wears off. In most people, it's metabolized in about three to four months. So if you don't love the result — whether it's too much, too little, or just not quite right — time is your friend.

That said, a 3 isn't a 0. You may spend a few weeks waiting for something to settle or soften. That's why I spend time discussing your goals before we start, so we're moving in the right direction from the beginning.

Hair dye — 4

Ask anyone who's gone from brunette to blonde and regretted it. Hair dye isn't dangerous or permanent, but it requires patience. Growing out a color mistake takes months. That's what earns it a 4.

Filler — 6

I want to be honest with you here, because filler is something I take very seriously.

Yes, filler can be dissolved. Hyaluronidase is a real enzyme that breaks it down. But dissolving is not always a simple, instant process. It can take multiple sessions, cause swelling and bruising, and it requires a skilled and experienced provider to do it safely.

Filler also carries more risk than many people realize if placed incorrectly. That's why I use ultrasound imaging with my filler treatments, to ensure your safety throughout the process.

A 6 doesn't mean "don't do it." It means: choose your provider thoughtfully. Ask hard questions. Understand what you're agreeing to.

Facelift — 10

I don't perform surgery, but I want it on the scale for context. A facelift is a permanent, irreversible structural change to your face. The skill of your surgeon matters enormously and there is no undo button.

I bring this up not to scare anyone, but because it's a helpful anchor for everything else. Most of what we do in medical aesthetics sits far below a 10. That's actually reassuring, there's a lot of room to try things, adjust, and find what works for you.

What this scale is really about

So many women feel a huge amount of pressure every day. Be a great mom/friend/wife/employee. Do it all with a smile on your face. Don’t be “too much” but don’t be a slob either. It’s exhausting.

It leaves us feeling like we don’t know where we stand or how to begin to make a decision. 

I made this scale to help you find your footing on what might be right for you, if anything. 

When you understand what you're committing to, you can lean in confidently instead of spending the week after your appointment anxiously Googling. You can have a real conversation with your provider about your goals and your concerns. You can decide what feels right for you, not just what your friend had done or what you saw on Instagram.

That's the kind of care I offer at Relevé. Not just technically good treatments, but treatments you actually understand and feel good about choosing.

If you have questions about any of the treatments on this list, or you're trying to figure out where to start, I offer free consultations. No pressure, just information.

Book a free consultation here.