Natural Aesthetics Center by Dr. Bita Z. Farrell

Natural Aesthetics Center by Dr. Bita Z. Farrell Physician (Anesthesiologist). UCLA Professor. Facial Anatomy Ultrasound Expert. Botox/Fillers.

09/09/2026

The science behind the magic of microneedling ✨

Think of those tiny, controlled injuries from microneedling as setting off the smoke alarm in your skin.

That alarm activates immune cells, including macrophages, our “firefighters.” These first responders release cytokines and growth factors that help call in the backup crew: the fibroblasts.

Fibroblasts are our construction workers. They get to work producing collagen and rebuilding the extracellular matrix.

And this becomes increasingly important as we age. As we move through our 30s and beyond, our skin’s ability to produce and maintain collagen gradually declines. That’s why treatments that stimulate our own collagen production, like microneedling, can be such a valuable part of a long-term skin-maintenance plan.

We can also add treatments such as PDRN and exosomes.

PDRN helps support the signaling and repair environment that keeps our construction workers doing their job.

And exosomes? Think of them like giving those construction workers cell phones. They carry messages between cells, helping them communicate with one another.

The smoke alarm goes off.
The firefighters respond.
The construction workers get called in.
And the rebuilding begins.

That’s the science behind the magic of microneedling.

08/26/2026

As a doctor, this is why I don’t prescribe Latisse for lashes.

Bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog, was originally used in the eye drop medication Lumigan to lower intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma. An interesting side effect was noticed: patients developed longer, thicker and darker eyelashes. This eventually led to bimatoprost being FDA-approved as Latisse specifically for eyelash growth.

But no medication is without potential side effects.

Bimatoprost has been associated with prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy, which can include periorbital fat loss and deepening of the upper eyelid sulcus, potentially creating a more hollow appearance around the eyes.

It can also cause darkening of the eyelid skin, which may be reversible after stopping treatment, as well as increased brown pigmentation of the iris, which may be permanent.

Because bimatoprost lowers intraocular pressure, ocular exposure to Latisse can also decrease eye pressure. However, the reduction seen with Latisse has not been considered clinically concerning.

And these potential periorbital effects are not unique to Latisse. Other prostaglandin analogs have also been associated with similar changes around the eyes.

For me, the potential cosmetic changes around the eyes outweigh the benefit of longer lashes, which is why I personally don’t prescribe Latisse.

Always understand both the benefits and potential risks of a medication before deciding if it’s right for you.

08/25/2026

Don’t overdo Botox in these 3 areas. 🚫
Here’s what you need to know.
1. The Forehead
Your forehead muscle, the frontalis, is an elevator. Its job is to lift your brows and keep your eyes open and awake. When you overtox it, you lose that lift. The result? Heavy, droopy brows that make you look tired and angry. You want movement softened, not the muscle completely knocked out.
2. Under the Eye
The muscle that circles your eye, the orbicularis oculi, acts like a pump for your lymphatic system, helping drain fluid from around the eye. When you overdo Botox here, you slow that pump down. Fluid builds up. And suddenly you have puffiness and swelling under the eyes that wasn’t there before.
3. The Masseter (Jaw)
Masseter Botox has a real place. I use it for grinding, clenching, bruxism, and facial slimming. But the masseter also provides posterior support to the lower face. When you weaken it too much over time, that support disappears and the jowls drop. The very treatment meant to slim your face can accelerate aging in the lower face if overdone.

08/20/2026

As we age, it’s not just our skin and soft tissues that change. Our facial bones change too.

CT studies have demonstrated age-related bone loss, which becomes increasingly apparent by the fifth decade of life.

This is why I often think deep before superficial.

Strategic filler placement on bone can restore structural support and projection. Using ultrasound guided injections allows for precision and safety.

Natural rejuvenation isn’t about more filler. It’s about restoring what was lost, where it was lost.

08/18/2026

Scrotox is a procedure that has received increasing attention in aesthetic medicine.A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology comparing men’s and women’s aesthetic assessment of the sc***um found that there was no single “ideal” or universally attractive sc***um. Preferences vary considerably. If you choose to pursue treatment to improve the appearance of this area, I encourage you to seek an experienced medical professional who has a thorough understanding of the anatomy and the potential risks associated with treatment.

Please note: I do NOT offer this procedure in my practice.

***um

08/14/2026

We may not be injecting local anesthetic in aesthetics, but we are injecting filler, a gel-like substance that can block a blood vessel and cause a vascular occlusion, tissue damage and, in the worst case, blindness.

Ultrasound allows us to see vessels before we inject, especially in high-risk areas.

The future of aesthetics: see before you inject.

08/05/2026

And of course none of this matters unless the treatment looks natural and makes you look refreshed, not “done”.

07/27/2026

Recently, comedian HANNAH BERNER shared her experience after developing difficulty smiling following masseter Dysport injections. While uncommon, this is a well-recognized complication that can occur when the neurotoxin affects one of the nearby smile muscles.

Unfortunately, there is no reversal agent and no true fix. Recovery simply takes time, typically 2 to 4 months depending on the product used, the dose injected, and the individual.

Some people try using the back of an electric toothbrush or a vibrating facial massage device over the affected muscle in an attempt to stimulate it, but there is currently no scientific evidence that this speeds recovery.

This is one of the reasons I use ultrasound to map the masseter before every treatment. Not everyone has textbook anatomy. Visualizing the muscle allows me to tailor each injection to the patient’s unique anatomy and helps minimize the risk of affecting nearby smile muscles.

The best treatment for complications is prevention.

Either way, you’re making us laugh through it, and that’s the beautiful thing about you.

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Westlake Village, CA
91362

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