Dr. Michelle Heery

So my name is Michelle Heery. I'm a physician. I do dermatology and dermatopathology, which is looking under the microscope for skin biopsies and whatnot. And so I'm seeing patients, medical patients, cosmetic patients, and occasionally surgery. And I have my own office. So I started my practice at the end of 2015 and really got into the swing of things in 2016.

So my name is Michelle Heery. I'm a physician. I do dermatology and dermatopathology, which is looking under the microscope for skin biopsies and whatnot. And so I'm seeing patients, medical patients, cosmetic patients, and occasionally surgery. And I have my own office. So I started my practice at the end of 2015 and really got into the swing of things in 2016.

So my name is Michelle Heery. I'm a physician. I do dermatology and dermatopathology, which is looking under the microscope for skin biopsies and whatnot. And so I'm seeing patients, medical patients, cosmetic patients, and occasionally surgery. And I have my own office. So I started my practice at the end of 2015 and really got into the swing of things in 2016.

And I really didn't start seeing that uptick of younger cosmetic patients until the pandemic. Everyone was basically chronically online. They were on Zoom. They were looking at themselves. And there was the rise of TikTok and the filters. And people were really, you know, seeing these flaws, these perceived flaws that either aren't there or are so minimal and just normal anatomy.

And I really didn't start seeing that uptick of younger cosmetic patients until the pandemic. Everyone was basically chronically online. They were on Zoom. They were looking at themselves. And there was the rise of TikTok and the filters. And people were really, you know, seeing these flaws, these perceived flaws that either aren't there or are so minimal and just normal anatomy.

And I really didn't start seeing that uptick of younger cosmetic patients until the pandemic. Everyone was basically chronically online. They were on Zoom. They were looking at themselves. And there was the rise of TikTok and the filters. And people were really, you know, seeing these flaws, these perceived flaws that either aren't there or are so minimal and just normal anatomy.

And they have changed. really made it front and center where it affects them, it affects their daily life. And I really feel that it has become more of a pathological thing. I did have this patient very recently who was on the younger side. She was mid-20s and really, you know, beautiful girl.

And they have changed. really made it front and center where it affects them, it affects their daily life. And I really feel that it has become more of a pathological thing. I did have this patient very recently who was on the younger side. She was mid-20s and really, you know, beautiful girl.

And they have changed. really made it front and center where it affects them, it affects their daily life. And I really feel that it has become more of a pathological thing. I did have this patient very recently who was on the younger side. She was mid-20s and really, you know, beautiful girl.

I don't see a lot of signs of aging on her face, but she was coming in for neurotoxin, Botox, Dysport, that sort of thing. You know, I really had to kind of search for movement on her face already. So there wasn't a lot for me to treat. So I told her, you know, okay, no problem. I will do a little bit. I mean, I see maybe it helps with your 11 lines in the middle.

I don't see a lot of signs of aging on her face, but she was coming in for neurotoxin, Botox, Dysport, that sort of thing. You know, I really had to kind of search for movement on her face already. So there wasn't a lot for me to treat. So I told her, you know, okay, no problem. I will do a little bit. I mean, I see maybe it helps with your 11 lines in the middle.

I don't see a lot of signs of aging on her face, but she was coming in for neurotoxin, Botox, Dysport, that sort of thing. You know, I really had to kind of search for movement on her face already. So there wasn't a lot for me to treat. So I told her, you know, okay, no problem. I will do a little bit. I mean, I see maybe it helps with your 11 lines in the middle.

You know, maybe if you're looking angry, that's fine. No problem. We'll do a little bit. And at the end of the session, you know, she was asking me, so what do you think about my nasolabial folds? Basically, it's the fold that goes from the corner of your nose, your nostril, to the corner of your mouth. And it is kind of the barrier between the nostrils. kind of upper lip and your cheek.

You know, maybe if you're looking angry, that's fine. No problem. We'll do a little bit. And at the end of the session, you know, she was asking me, so what do you think about my nasolabial folds? Basically, it's the fold that goes from the corner of your nose, your nostril, to the corner of your mouth. And it is kind of the barrier between the nostrils. kind of upper lip and your cheek.

You know, maybe if you're looking angry, that's fine. No problem. We'll do a little bit. And at the end of the session, you know, she was asking me, so what do you think about my nasolabial folds? Basically, it's the fold that goes from the corner of your nose, your nostril, to the corner of your mouth. And it is kind of the barrier between the nostrils. kind of upper lip and your cheek.

And when you smile, it kind of folds like that. Of course, the more you age, the more of a line will be left behind when you're not smiling. And she was just, you know, she's pointing to her cheek as if there was something there, but there was nothing there. And so I had to tell her, like, well, I don't see that. You're perfect. It's a phantom nasolabial fold. It didn't exist.

And when you smile, it kind of folds like that. Of course, the more you age, the more of a line will be left behind when you're not smiling. And she was just, you know, she's pointing to her cheek as if there was something there, but there was nothing there. And so I had to tell her, like, well, I don't see that. You're perfect. It's a phantom nasolabial fold. It didn't exist.

And when you smile, it kind of folds like that. Of course, the more you age, the more of a line will be left behind when you're not smiling. And she was just, you know, she's pointing to her cheek as if there was something there, but there was nothing there. And so I had to tell her, like, well, I don't see that. You're perfect. It's a phantom nasolabial fold. It didn't exist.

So I had to bring a mirror out and show her. There's nothing here, right? And so... That sort of mentality where someone really is perceiving a flaw that is absolutely not there, providers need to say no.

So I had to bring a mirror out and show her. There's nothing here, right? And so... That sort of mentality where someone really is perceiving a flaw that is absolutely not there, providers need to say no.