Dr Laura Pattison

There is still a tendency to think that taking care of your skin is just vanity.

But often, it is simply part of taking care of yourself.

Starting earlier can help with prevention, skin health and maintaining good habits over time.

And if you didn’t start early, that doesn’t mean it’s too late.

What matters is starting with the right advice for your skin, your age and your individual needs.

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie

Ageing does not happen all at once.

The changes we notice on the surface are often the result of changes that have been developing gradually across several layers of the face.

Over time, fat pads can shift, collagen production slows, bone support changes, ligaments stretch and the skin becomes thinner and less resilient.

For many women, there may also be periods when ageing seems to become more noticeable, particularly around the mid 40s and again later, when hormonal changes can influence skin quality, collagen, facial fat and tissue support.

A proper assessment should look beyond the visible concern and consider anatomy, movement, skin quality, lifestyle, goals and where someone is in the ageing process.

Sometimes the right approach is skincare. Sometimes it may involve medical aesthetic treatment. Sometimes no treatment is needed at all.

The aim should be to age kindly, in a way that is healthy, balanced and authentically you.

Diagnosis before treatment.

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie

The chin is an area I often need to bring to a patient’s attention because changes there can be surprisingly easy to miss.

With ageing, the chin can lose bone and other supporting structures. This can affect lower-face support, contribute to jowling, alter the profile and influence how the neck contour appears.

That is why I do not assess the chin in isolation.

When treatment is appropriate, the aim is to understand what support has been lost and whether restoring that structure may improve facial proportions and balance as a whole.

As always, treatment depends on individual anatomy, facial proportions, skin quality and the patient’s goals.

Diagnosis before treatment.

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie

“Under-eye bags” are not all the same.

What looks like the same concern can actually come from very different causes: a malar mound, projection of infraorbital fat, skin laxity, or a combination of more than one factor.

And that distinction matters, because the treatment plan should depend on what is actually creating that.

A malar mound sits higher and more laterally over the cheek and may relate to local anatomy and fluid retention. A true infraorbital fat bag involves forward projection of orbital fat. In other cases, the main issue may be skin quality and laxity rather than volume.

This is also why there is no single “best treatment” for everyone.

Depending on the diagnosis, management may focus on support, collagen stimulation, skin quality, selected anti-wrinkle treatment, or in some cases surgical assessment.

The first step should always be understanding what we are treating before deciding how to treat it.

Diagnosis before treatment.

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie

Look closely.

This patient’s treatment plan focused on facial support, balance and muscle activity rather than one isolated area.

From different views, you may notice changes in:

• smile lines
• jawline definition
• neck contour
• the corners of the mouth
• overall facial balance

The important part is that these changes came from an individual assessment of the face as a whole.

The area someone notices first is not always the area that needs to be treated first.

This is why I prefer to assess facial ageing by looking at anatomy, support, movement and skin quality together.

These images show one patient’s individual outcome and do not necessarily reflect what another person may experience.

Patient consent obtained for use of these images for educational purposes.

Cosmetic procedures carry risks and limitations. Suitability, expected benefits, risks, alternatives and the option of no treatment should be discussed during an individual medical consultation.

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie

For the treatment images, I’ll let you Google them.
I thought I’d keep this post a little more pleasant. 😅

Surgery, topical chemotherapy, cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, injectable treatments in selected cases and radiation therapy can all have a role depending on the diagnosis.

Prevention is usually the easier option.

Sunscreen is only one part of sun protection. Shade, protective clothing, hats and reducing excessive UV exposure matter too.

Have a lovely day— with sun protection, please. ☀️

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie

Every season of life has something meaningful to offer.

Ageing is not something to fear or erase.

It is part of a life lived, expressions made, emotions felt and experiences collected.

In my work, I believe the face should be assessed with respect for the person behind it.

Not every line needs treatment.
Not every change needs correction.

Sometimes the most important part of cosmetic medicine is knowing what to leave alone.

This post is for general education only. Cosmetic treatment is not suitable for everyone, and any treatment decision should follow an individual consultation, including discussion of expected benefits, risks, limitations, costs, recovery time and alternatives.

Dr Laura Pattison
Registered medical practitioner
General registration
MED0002627184
Port Macquarie