Andrej Testen warns against cosmetic fillers pushed beyond safe limits

Aesthetic surgeon Andrej Testen says that knowing when to refuse a requested procedure is an important part of his work. Speaking on the MediJana podcast, he discussed patients’ expectations, the pressure to change their appearance and the risks of excessive use of fillers or treatments performed by people without suitable professional training. Testen said that a new procedure is not always the right answer when someone is unhappy with what they see in the mirror. At times, he suggested, reassurance may matter more than another intervention: as the interview’s headline puts it, sometimes it is enough for someone to tell you that you are beautiful. The surgeon also addressed procedures promoted online under appealing labels, including “Barbie noses” and various forms of rejuvenation. According to the interview, he increasingly has to deal with the consequences of such treatments. He urged people to look beyond attractive names and social-media promises and consider the risks that may not be visible in a flattering photograph. The conversation ranged beyond patient consultations. Testen spoke about leaving the University Clinical Centre in Maribor and about differences in the wishes expressed by male and female patients. He also discussed his own use of botulinum toxin and recounted a misstep after injecting filler into himself. The interview presents a surgeon who has experienced cosmetic procedures personally while warning that restraint and professional expertise matter. His central point was that people should think carefully about what they hope a procedure will achieve—and that practitioners should be prepared to say no when another treatment is not appropriate.